- The two organisations say 19 displaced Grade 12 learners still have no idea where they will be able to write their mock examinations.
- They have been asking the Department of Basic Education for help since July but have yet to receive a response.
- Both groups are calling for emergency exam centres and special arrangements for learners affected by xenophobic displacement.
The Department of Basic Education is under pressure to protect the academic future of displaced Grade 12 learners as mock exams draw near. Civil society organisations warn that time is running out to make sure vulnerable pupils are not excluded.
Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) and ZEPcc Academy have appealed to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to urgently set up a way for learners whose schooling was disrupted by xenophobic unrest to write their exams.
The organisations say the first mock exams start on 25 August, but many affected learners still do not know where or how they will write. Their appeal comes after weeks of trying to get help from the department without success.
Matric learners caught in the crisis
ZEPcc Academy currently has 354 registered learners, including 78 Grade 12 pupils. Of those, 19 matric learners have been displaced, and 37 are no longer attending classes because their education was disrupted by violence and forced relocation.
The disruption goes beyond just the matric class. The academy says 110 learners from Grade R to Grade 11 have also been displaced, and 195 younger learners are currently out of school.
The organisations say some families fled to other provinces to find safety, while others have gone back to their countries of origin. ZEPcc has tried to keep learning going by introducing online classes, but many learners cannot participate regularly because they do not have the right devices, data or stable internet connections.
“We have been knocking on the Department of Basic Education’s doors since July, and the clock is now running out,” said ZEPcc Academy. “Some learners were displaced before they could register, while others have been deregistered because they could not attend school.”
Registration and deregistration fears
ACTSA says displacement has created numerous barriers for matric learners preparing for their final exams. Some were forced to leave their communities before finishing Grade 12 registration, while others were reportedly taken off school registers after being absent for a long time because of the unrest.
The organisations argue that these administrative problems should not stop learners from finishing the school year. They say emergency measures are needed to ensure every affected learner can write both the mock and final exams, no matter where they are now.
Call for emergency examination centres
ACTSA and ZEPcc are asking the Department of Basic Education to create special arrangements for displaced learners who cannot safely return to their old schools.
One proposal is to set up alternative exam centres and allow ZEPcc Academy to temporarily run exams for affected learners while it continues its accreditation process. The organisations also want the department to create a clear exam pathway for learners who have moved to new provinces or crossed borders after being displaced.
“These learners need a safe and practical way to carry on with their education and write their exams,” said ZEPcc Academy. “We are calling on the department to urgently consider special arrangements for affected learners, including those who could not register or have been deregistered because of things beyond their control.”
Education is a constitutional right
ACTSA says this crisis is not just about exams but about protecting the constitutional right to basic education. The organisation argues that learners who were forced out of their schools by xenophobic intimidation should not lose their chance to finish Grade 12 because of things outside their control.
“These learners did not choose to leave their schools,” the organisations said. “Their education has been disrupted by things beyond their control. They should not be academically disadvantaged as a result.”
With the first exam papers only days away, ACTSA and ZEPcc have urged the Department of Basic Education to appoint a senior official, meet with both organisations immediately and give affected learners the certainty they need before 25 August.
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