President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his best wishes to learners writing their matric exams, praising their hard work, resilience, and perseverance in preparing for this significant milestone. Today marks the start of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, with over 880,000 candidates across South Africa sitting for the exams.

“On behalf of the government, I wish all our learners well during this challenging and exciting time. The Class of 2024 entered Grade 8 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and needed substantial learning support to overcome the resulting gaps in their education,” the President said.

The President also lauded students rewriting their exams through the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Second Chance Programme, commending their determination to improve their academic outcomes.

In the weeks leading up to the exams, learners have participated in extra lessons, engaged in revision with educators, and attended support programmes facilitated by provincial education departments. The President highlighted the collaboration between the DBE, provincial authorities, school governing bodies, and families in equipping learners with the resources needed for success.

“I commend our nation’s educators for their dedication to our matriculants as they approach the end of their secondary school journey. At the annual National Teaching Awards earlier this month, I likened teachers to devoted gardeners, whose guidance and encouragement nurture our nation. The successes of the Class of 2024 will be due in no small part to the efforts of these committed teachers,” the President remarked.

As exams commence, all necessary measures are in place to ensure a smooth examination period. The DBE, in collaboration with Umalusi, has audited over 9,200 exam centres, vetted exam markers, and approved question papers, including those adapted for learners with special needs. Additionally, strict measures have been implemented to prevent leaks, fraud, and cheating, with additional invigilators and CCTV monitoring at some venues.

President Ramaphosa expressed appreciation to the matric candidates for signing the NSC Examination Code of Conduct, committing themselves to uphold academic integrity.

Integrating Young People Into the Workforce

The President used the occasion to stress the importance of integrating the Class of 2024 into the workforce or further education after their exams. With the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 at 60.8%, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, he called for concerted efforts to address this.

“Preparing our young people for exam success is a collaborative effort, and there is much more the private sector can do to hire young people,” he noted.

To this end, he urged employers to relax work experience requirements for entry-level roles and take advantage of incentives, such as learnership agreements, discretionary grants, and the Employee Tax Incentive, to hire young people. The incentive aims to encourage employers to employ young and less experienced job seekers.

The President also stressed employers’ legal duty to prioritise hiring South African citizens or permanent residents before considering foreign nationals. He highlighted recent inspections by the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour, which have underscored the contentious issue of employers preferring to hire foreign nationals over local young people.

“Employers need to open more opportunities for young South Africans entering the job market. By law, they must ensure that no suitable South African citizen or permanent resident is available to fill a position before employing a foreign national. This is standard practice worldwide,” the President stated.

The President concluded by urging all sectors of society to ensure that the hard work of the Class of 2024 is rewarded with employment, further education, and training opportunities. He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the youth in their pursuit of a brighter future.

“As a society, we have a responsibility to boost the morale of the Class of 2024 by ensuring that their hard work and sacrifices are rewarded. Let us work together to help these matriculants find the opportunities for employment or further education and training that they deserve,” he said.