Basic Education Department releases final combined matric examination timetable
Following the closure of schools on 18 March 2020, and the national lockdown to curb the spread of the Corona virus, a decision was taken by the Minister of Basic Education, to administer the May/June 2020 examination concurrently with the October/November 2020 examination. The Combined June and November examination will commence officially on Thursday, 5 November 2020 and terminate on Tuesday, 15 December 2020.
The late commencement of the final Grade 12 examinations will allow schools and learners adequate time to cover the curriculum and also to ensure that ample time is allocated for revision of the syllabus. Candidates are once again reminded that this is a combined examination which implies that all candidates that were scheduled to write the Senior Certificate examination in May/June 2020 and have already registered, will be allowed to write this examination.
Candidates that have also registered for the October/November 2020 National Senior Certificate examination will be allowed to write this examination. More than 1,1 million candidates are expected to sit for the 2020 combined matric exam and every registered candidate will receive an admission letter, by end September 2020, listing the subjects for which they have registered and the examination centre at which they are writing. Registration for this examination has closed and, unfortunately, no late registrations can be entertained.
The candidates who were originally scheduled to write the 2020 October/November examination will write two papers each in Business Studies and Accounting, whereas those who would have written the 2020 May/June examination will write one paper each in Business Studies and Accounting. This is clearly denoted on the timetable.
The Life Orientation (LO) Common Assessment Task will be written on Monday, 19 October 2020. The practical examinations in Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT), will be written prior to the official commencement of the examination, on Wednesday, 21st and Thursday, 22 October 2020, respectively.
The results of the 2020 Grade 12 examination will be released to candidates on 23 February 2021. Candidates need to be assured that the late release of the results will not jeopardise their admission to Higher Education Institutions.
The Minister wishes to reassure all Grade 12 learners that they will be fully supported in their preparations leading to the writing of 2020 Grade 12 examinations, despite the challenges that this year has presented.
