​Lerato Mailoane
The final countdown to the matric examinations has started in earnest with matriculants sitting for their Grade 12 examination starting on 5 November 2020.
More than 235 975 Grade 12 learners across the Gauteng province will write their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
The Gauteng Command Council in its weekly media report said this year, Gauteng will have the largest number of candidates sitting for the examinations.
The 2020 Grade 12 exams will combine three categories of exams - 2020 June Examination, 2020 November Examination and 2020 Adult Education Examination.
The province has 1866 centres which the Gauteng Department of Education said are ready to host the exams. The department has appointed and trained 13 798 invigilators. One thousand four hundred and nine (1409) monitors will be visiting centres to ensure compliance with the exam rules throughout the duration of the exams.
The department has also appointed and trained 12 148 markers. Two thousand and thirty-four (2034) venues have been secured for the marking of scripts to be concluded on 22 January 2021.  The exams results will be released on 23 February 2021.
The Department is confident that learners are ready as they were offered the necessary support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through the Secondary School Intervention Program (SSIP) extra lessons were held to ensure that all learners have completed the syllabus and revision work.
The department has provided the Grade 12 learners with weekend classes from 20 June 2020 until they finished their Preliminary examination.
The SSIP residential camps which are aimed at accommodating learners who
are at a risk of failing continued to check-in learners on 24 October and ended on 1 November 2020. These residential camps ordinarily accommodated about 10 000 learners from underperforming schools from all affected districts. Walk in centres also operated during this final push period accommodating more than 76 000 candidates. Learners were also supported with all necessary material to assist them.