Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha has sent his best wishes to the matric class of 2021 for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.

Matriculants in Limpopo and throughout the country begin writing their examinations today.

“To the Grade 12 class of 2021, I would like to wish you well as you write your final year exams. I don’t doubt that you will make us proud.

“Besides the disturbances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, I know that you are a team made of resilient conquerors. Limpopo is looking upon you to make us proud,” Mathabatha said.

Limpopo is fielding 106 564 full-time and 35 596 part-time candidates who are sitting for their exams in 1 609 examination centres across the province.

The province has set a target of 80% pass rate for the year 2021.

This year sees an increased number of pupils taking the exams in some provinces, after a year in which COVID-19 has once again disrupted learning.

Across the country, almost 900 000 will sit for the exams.

The Basic Education Department said in a statement that the national examination system is ready to administer a credible public examination and is geared to accommodate any change that might be warranted by the current environment.

“It should be noted that despite the abnormal context, the class of 2021 will be subjected to the same high quality examination that previous cohorts were subjected to, and the quality assurance council, Umalusi, has confirmed that the national examination system is ready to administer the 2021 NSC examination,” the department said.

The exams on Wednesday kicked off with the language papers, with the first sitting for English Home Language, English First Additional Language and English Second Additional Language.

Source: South African Government News Agency