President Jacob Zuma has congratulated all the learners who sat through the 2014 National Senior Certificate examinations, whose results were announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga this evening, 5 January 2015.
"We welcome these results on behalf of government and we would like to congratulate all learners who have successfully passed their examinations as well as parents, teachers and school governing bodies for their contribution to the good work of the learners,” said President Zuma.
"South Africa is especially proud of the Class of 2014 as they represent a special category of learners who sat through their exams as the country celebrated 20 years of freedom and democracy," the President added.
President Zuma said he was concerned about the allegations of copying and cheating in some parts of the country, and was pleased that this was on a low scale. "The allegations must be investigated thoroughly so that we do not experience a recurrence. The integrity of the results each year is paramount. We should teach our children that honesty is the best policy always. They must work hard and earn their success," he said.
President Zuma added that the fifth democratic administration will continue to position education as an apex priority "because we believe that a country that invests in education, invests in its future. We urge the young people to take advantage of the opportunities at universities, Technical and Vocational Training Colleges (TVET) (formerly known as Further Education and Training ET colleges) and community colleges to further their studies. For those who did not pass, it is not the end of the world. They can do better this year in the supplementary examinations and in many matric rewrite centres and still go on to achieve their dreams," said the President.
Due to the impressive increasing demand for education by South African youth, Government is building three new universities in Gauteng, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga. In addition, 16 sites have been identified to build 12 TVET colleges.
Funding for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NFSAS) has also been increased from R3 billion to R9 billion in the past three years to provide support to students. Many students at TVET colleges are also provided with bursaries.
"We wish the new matriculants all the best for the future," said the President.
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