The department’s spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, tells OFM News that the department is prepared for this year’s matric exam and has put every precautionary measure in place to ensure it runs smoothly. 

Ndaba says the department is happy with the way the preliminary exam has been progressing and is confident that the same energy will be applied towards the final examination. He further adds that 36 226 full-time candidates will be writing the exam.

“All we want to do is encourage our learners from 18 and above to go in their numbers and vaccinate because that will assist them in protecting themselves and their families from being infected. If one does not want to vaccinate it does not mean that you have to be discriminated against, because that would be unlawful,” Ndaba says.

The Free State Department of Education encourages matriculants to get vaccinated ahead of their final exam schedules to commence on the 27th of October. 

“All we want to do is encourage our learners from 18 and above to go in their numbers and vaccinate because that will assist them in protecting themselves and their families from being infected. If one does not want to vaccinate it does not mean that you have to be discriminated against, because that would be unlawful,” Ndaba says.

The spokesperson of the Department of Basic Education, Elijah Mhlanga, said 18-year-old matriculants are encouraged to take the vaccine, but will not be forced to do so in order to write their finals. The department has denied reports that matric pupils will be forced to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as their final exams approach.

“The more we vaccinate the better we protect ourselves and others from the virus. If you look at our teachers, since they have been vaccinated the numbers have drastically gone down. Teachers are no longer testing positive, even those who are testing positive are not being hospitalised,” Ndaba says.

OFM News previously reported that matrics will now start their final exams on 27 October. The date has been moved from 1 November to accommodate the upcoming local government elections.

READ MORE: Matric exams to start on 27 October

The decision was made during a meeting by the Council of Education Ministers on Tuesday, led by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

OFM News