Photo: S.A Educattion Department

South African students

Pretoria — The Department of Basic Education has welcomed the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training's declaration that the 2012 national senior certificate (NSC) exams were fair, valid and credible.

The body, also known as Umalusi, is tasked with the development and management of a sub-framework of qualifications for general and further education and training and for the attendant quality assurance.

Sizwe Mabizela, the chairperson of the Umalusi board, said 17 of the 61 subjects written in the 2012 NSC were presented for standardisation.

The Umalusi declaration comes as the department is making its final preparations for the announcement of the Matric results next week.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will on Tuesday, 2 January 2013, release the matric results.

The top achievers (per quintile) will be awarded for their exceptional efforts at a function to be held at the SABC studios in Auckland Park.

The learners will start arriving in Johannesburg from Monday and will on Tuesday have lunch with the Minister where she will congratulate the learners and meet with parents.

The public announcement will be preceded by a Technical report to be presented by the Director-General Mr. Bobby Soobrayan. The report focuses on the technical aspects of capturing and reporting on the NSC results.

The presentation ceremony will be will be carried live on SABC 1 at 17h00.

The minister will report to the nation on the overall percentage attained by the 623 897 candidates that sat for the NSC examinations as well as awarding certificates to the 2012 top learners in all the quintiles.