Covid-19: South Africa postpones May/June exam rewrites, picks new date

This is the matric examination which was to be written by more than 350,000 part-time candidates who include those who did not meet the pass requirements in the 2019 final exams.

South African Department of Basic Education has postponed the May/June Amended Senior Certificate and National Senior Certificate Examinations.

This is the matric examination which was to be written by more than 350,000 part-time candidates who include those who did not meet the pass requirements in the 2019 final exams as well as those who sought to rewrite to improve their marks.

While disclosing this on Saturday April 18, 2020, the Director-General of the Department of Basic Education, Mr. Mathanzima Mweli, stated that a letter had been written to the Heads of the Provincial Education Departments confirming the changes to the plan for the examinations.

“The advent of the Covid-19 virus has led to the early closure of schools during the first term and the declaration of a 21-day lockdown by the President of the Republic of South Africa, commencing from 26 March and concluding on 16 April 2020,” he said.

“The lockdown has since been extended until Thursday, 30 April 2020.

This has resulted in a disruption to schooling and hence the writing of May/June 2020 examinations has to be re-scheduled,” added Mweli.

The May/June 2020 examination was scheduled to start on Monday, 4 May 2020 and conclude on Friday, 26 June 2020.

“At the HEDCOM meeting of 10 April 2020, it was agreed that the May/June examination should be merged with the November 2020 examination”, he said.

The details regarding the merged June and November examination will be communicated to you in due course. Candidates will be informed regarding registration, examination centers and time-tables.

The department has however urged all candidates to continue their preparations, stressing that learning and revision materials have been made available on the department website.