If you are working towards gaining admission in any tertiary institution in the country or becoming employed under the government or some organizations, passing your Matric exams and having your certificate handy is one of the essential things you must do before taking a step forward. But if, due to some circumstances, you failed your matric exams or have been struggling to meet the minimum requirement to pass Grade 12, then you don’t need to lose hope because the supplementary exam (now called a second national exam) will allow you to make another attempt at passing your failed subject(s).
Rewriting matric exams is usually not an easy task, but you can always scale through if you press the right buttons. Interestingly, you can also re-enroll for your Matric year and retake the end-of-year exams up to 5 years after completing Matric. If it’s been over 5 years ago since you matriculated, you will apply for an Amended Senior Certificate.
What Conditions Could Necessitate One Rewriting The Matric Exams?
Many conditions could make a learner rewrite his/her matric exams. No serious student would want to write his /her matric twice or more, but if it eventually happens due to some circumstances, then there is a way out – the supplementary exams.
People who are forced to write their matric exams twice or more usually want to improve their already-obtained results. Another set of people are those that did not meet the entry requirement for the university of their choice. People who have outstanding results could also be forced to rewrite matric exams and those who could not sit or finish the November examination.
A quick summary of the conditions that could make learners rewrite matric exams
- You did not meet the entry requirement for University and now need to upgrade.
- Candidates who want to improve their results
- To complete your outstanding results.
- Candidates who could not sit or finish the November examination due to medical reasons, a death in the family, or another special reason.
Only Learners Who Fall Into The Underlisted Categories Qualify For The Supplementary Exams
Not everyone is allowed to take the supplementary exam in the South African examination system. There must a strong reason before you are allowed to partake in the second chance programme.
According to the Department of Education, you qualify for a supplementary exam if:
- You were not medically fit or had another special reason for being absent for an exam.
- You lost a dear one, especially a member of your immediate family.
- You are one requirement short of meeting the minimum admission requirements for the higher certificate, diploma, and bachelor degree programs; then, you can register for supplementary exams.
- You did not pass Grade 12 but need to pass 2 subjects to obtain your NSC. You can register to retake any number of subjects for your supplementary exam. However, it would be best if you had written these subjects during your final year exams.
- You provide evidence that you qualify for admission to a higher education institution/occupation but do not satisfy the requirements.
- You passed but sought to improve your performance.
- In a case where an irregularity is being investigated, provisional enrollment for supplementary examination may be granted, pending the outcome of the investigation.
- If you did not meet the requirements in the November examination.
- Suppose you could not write or complete one or more of the National Senior Certificate examination question papers for reasons other than illness or injury. The school principal will need to submit a report to the Head of the assessment body.
- If you were absent from the writing of one or more question papers due to ill-health or other unforeseen circumstances.
Note the following points:
- You are to present your Statement of Results for proof of the November examination registration.
- You must submit documentary proof substantiating the reason for absenteeism at the center of registration to ensure entry to the June examination.
Here’s The Procedure For Registering For A Supplementary Exam
Before we proceed to that, it would be ideal to formally unveil what a supplementary exam actually is, at least for the benefit of those who do not know. Supplementary examinations are exams that students write to improve or make their marks better. Not only this, but there are also numerous reasons why people write supplementary exams, as enumerated above.
To navigate, follow the steps listed below.
- Go to the official page of the Department of Basic Education.
- Click through to the point where you will find the registration icon for supplementary exams.
- Input the needed information to take you to the next stage.
- Fill the registration form.
- Go through your work to ensure that you correctly filled it.
- Once you are done, click the ‘Submit Button.’
What’s The Maximum Number Of Subjects One Can Rewrite For Matric Exams?
Unlike what is obtainable in the past, learners are now allowed to rewrite as many subjects as they like so long as they meet the requirements. According to the Department of Basic Education, this new development is to ensure there will be a better pass rate. If you have plans of changing the subjects you initially sat for, you can go ahead to do that as well so long as they would meet the needed requirements.
Here Are All The Documents Needed For Registering For Supplementary Exam
- Completed registration form
- A certified copy of your ID document or birth certificate, or passport (foreign candidates)
- a copy of your statement of results
- Repeater candidates must attach a copy of their previous highest qualification
- If you have entered and wrote any other Grade 12 or equivalent examination before, you will need to supply the examination numbers for those exams.
- motivation letter (if required)
If You Did Not Qualify For The Supplementary Exams, Here Are Other Options You Can Choose From
If, after going through what it takes to qualify for supplement exams, you realize you are not qualified, other options are available for you. Quickly go through them below to pick a suitable one.
- Re-enroll for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) as a full-time repeater candidate at a school without delay. Please note that you must not be younger than twenty-one years of age.
- Register as a part-time repeater candidate at a Public Adult Education Centre.
- Candidates that were not successful in their examinations can alternatively consider vocational education and training. There are 50 Public Further Education and Training (FET) colleges across all South African provinces, comprising over 300 campuses or teaching sites, for those unaware.
- Register for the Senior Certificate (SC) examination, a school-leaving qualification for adults and out-of-school learners, provided the validity of the candidate’s SBA has expired.
