Matric final year examinations commenced at last week. The grade 12 final year examinations is the most serious and challenging part about being a matriculant. As if sitting for a final year exam is not challenging enough, these pupils are also faced with challenges of preparing for an exam while the lights are out.
Loadshedding continues to devastate these candidates subjecting them to exam stress. These grade 12s must find other ways to maneuver and find ways of studying when it’s dark.
A grade 12 learner from Sangoni Seniour Secondary School a high school in Lusikisiki said “ The time of exams is stressful, this load shedding makes matters worse because you can’t study when it’s dark but we have to soldier on and make a plan.” Said the 18 year old.
Zintle Sihlobo who has aspirations of studying law and becoming a lawyer added that “loadshedding is a real problem and it doesn’t only affect me and my studies but my mother becomes stressed too. She is always worried about me and how I will study during lights out.”
Lusanda Mpinda who repeated grade 11 last year said as much as she was sad about not moving to grade 12 with her peers last year. She was grateful for not having to write an exam during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was okay with not writing during a pandemic because covid was scary but preparing for an exam during the dark is another pandemic on it’s own. We still have to prepare for other serious subjects such as mathematics and physics all during the dark.” Said the anxious grade 12 leaner.
The Ingquza Hill Local Municipality continues posting warnings of when power cuts will take place. These matric leaners say they find that helpful because these warnings keep them alert and helps them prepare in advance for when the power is cut out.
