
As the Class of 2023 nudges closer to finishing their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has urged learners to stay safe and act responsibly in their celebratory moments.
The Minister said this when she briefed the media on Sunday in Pretoria.
This week marks the final week of exams with only six NSC papers left to write.
“Now that the Class of 2023 is about to finish writing, we urge them to be safe. This may trace the finish of the 12 years that you spent in the basic education sector; however, it is certainly not the terminate. Many of you are gathering in various places to celebrate the conclude of exams. As you execute so, I urge you to act responsibly,” the Minister said.
Motshekga said the department noted with noteworthy concern that learners were hosting and attending “pens down” parties.
“What is clear is that as much as this time is cause for celebrating, hundreds of our youth are overindulging in alcohol, binge drinking, and even finding themselves in anguish with the law.
“You may acquire turned 18 years of age and therefore reached the legal age to consume alcohol but you must understand that adulthood comes with lifelong responsibilities,” she said.
The Minister said the Gauteng Liquor Board has highlighted the dangers of overindulgence in drinking alcohol. This is in addition to the call to retailers to refrain from selling alcohol to underage kids.
She said the department hopes to see more of these efforts across the country.
“May we always remember the tragedy of Enyobeni Tavern in the Eastern Cape, and many other such events, where the lives of young people were slit short, in incidents that could acquire easily been avoided.
“We urge parents, to know where your kids are, with whom they are, and what they are doing. We need them back in 2024, as they continue with their education journey,” she said.
Rewrites
There will be rewriting opportunities for candidates who experienced technical challenges during the writing of Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Paper 1 in five provincial education departments and Information Technology Paper 1 in one provincial education department and those who could not complete due to load shedding.
This also includes Tourism Practical Assessment Task (PAT): 19 candidates in the Northern Cape and 32 candidates in the North West.
The Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Paper 1 and Information Technology Paper 1 will be written in the morning of 6 December 2023.
Tourism Practical Assessment Task (PAT) Paper 1 will be written in the afternoon on 6 December 2023
Tourism Practical Assessment Task (PAT) Paper 2 will be written in the morning of 7 December 2023.
The Minister announced the matric results announcement will seize spot on 18 January and the provincial release will seize area on 19 January.
The department, she said, is confident that the all-important marking process, capture of results, standardisation, resulting and release of results will proceed according to location. – SAnews.gov.za

Dropkick
Fun South African Fact: Nelson Mandela has six different names in South Africa.
jk friend
Interview with a pirate:
There was a pirate who had agreed to do an interview with a local tv station. The reporter was very courteous and professional, giving a bit of background as to the pirate\’s business. She then began interviewing him.
\”So Mr. Longbeard, are there any risks to your business? I see you have a peg leg- how did that come about?\”
\”Well, y\’see I were sailing along the coast of South Africa, looking to plunder some locals when as I boarded the small boat from the ship, a great white shark came up and got my leg clean off. \’twas scary yes, but thus is the life of a pirate.\”
\”Wow, that is pretty scary- well, how about your hook? What happened to your hand with that?\”
\”Oh now that\’s quite the tale, y\’see I were fighting a rival pirate, and we had locked swords. We had been fighting for a few hours, and were both terribly fatigued. I had a bit of exhaustion and confusion, and when I went to block one of his sword blows, I met him with me hand instead of me sword. Took it right off, but it shocked him so much I managed to get him back pretty good and have him submit. So the hook hand was given as a replacement.\”
\”Wow. Simply fascinating. Now, what about your eye patch? How did that happen?\”
\”Well, one day, a seagull was flying overhead, and I looked up. It pooped right in me eye.\”
\”… Well wow. I must admit, I wouldn\’t think just seagull poop could damage the eye that badly.\”
\”Oh, I forgot to mention… it were me first day with the hook.\”