Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has revealed that hundreds of pregnant learners have been able to write their Matric examinations from hospital beds over the past four years.
Motshekga explained that provisions exist to accommodate learners who cannot write exams in school due to exceptional circumstances, including illness or pregnancy. Approval for this arrangement must be obtained from provincial exam authorities.
In 2020, 85 pregnant and ill learners wrote their exams from hospital, a number that increased to 140 in 2021, followed by 150 in 2022, and 209 in the past year.
Motshekga emphasized that regulations governing the National Senior Certificate Examinations allow for the writing of exams in hospital under exceptional circumstances. Learners and their parents must formally request this accommodation, accompanied by a medical practitioner’s report confirming the learner’s health status and ability to cope with exam stress.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance (DA) member Samantha Graham, Motshekga outlined the process involved. Once approval is granted, an invigilator is appointed from the district office, and the exam venue must be isolated with strict security measures in place.
After the exam, the invigilator collects the papers and delivers them to the district office. This approach ensures that pregnant learners and those facing medical challenges can still complete their Matric examinations without being physically present in school.