Scores of distance education grade 12 leaders start final exams

It is all systems go for scores of Grade 12 learners who will start their IEB-exams on Wednesday, 23 October 2019. Distance Education Provider, Brainline, says their pupils will once again participate in this year’s IEB examination, which is quality assured by Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education

Brainline learners will write their exams at approved Brainline centres in three provinces: Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Western Cape, from the 23^rd of October with Computer Applications Technology: PII Practical Examination, and end on the 29th of November with Music Paper 1 & 2. Our hearts and minds are with our matriculants and we wish them all the best,’ says Coleen Cronje (CEO, Brainline).

The IEB National Senior Certificate is an internationally benchmarked qualification and is equivalent to Cambridge AS level (https://www.ieb.co.za/upload/file/International%20Comparability%20of%20the%20NSC.pdf) and their matriculants come from not only South Africa but many other parts of the world, where South African citizen resides as expats, such as Botswana, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Namibia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, Spain, New Zealand, Germany, India and more.’

As with final exams written by learners within the public school system, IEB-learners will also write exams in the following subjects;  Afrikaans Home Language, English First Additional Language, English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Accounting, Agricultural Sciences, Business Studies, Computer Applications Technology, Consumer Studies, Dramatic Arts, Economics, Engineering Graphics & Design, Equine Studies, Geography, History, Life Orientation, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Music, Physical Sciences, Tourism and Visual Arts.

Cronje says their students have received optimal support to prepare them for this important exam. ‘In the world of digital school, learners can feel lost without guidance and a tutor.  With our online live classes, which are saved for future reference, we address that need for the distance learner.  Gone are the days of the old model learner management systems with boring downloads and links.  This is the new era of a school at home, with all the support that one can expect in a traditional school,  but on your own terms.’

Cronje says accommodations for special needs learners offers support to learners who require additional support due to barriers to learning. ‘We assist learners and their families with the application, communicating with the IEB on their behalf, and providing the necessary facilities during the Grade 12 final examination.  According to the accommodation granted to them, it may range from separate venues to readers and scribes or as technology assists us, the use of a digital C-pen for audible translation of the written word.’

The IEB results will be released to learners on 7 January 2020. The results will also be available on the IEB website – www.ieb-online.co.za.

‘We encourage all matriculants to register via the IEB website, for their convenient sms service for the release of their results on their phones.’

Brainline has provided structured home education on a distance education model to thousands of learners since 1990. Home education in South Africa has experienced significant growth over the last few years. At the end of 2018 there were an estimated 100,000 home education learners in the country (https://www.sahomeschoolers.org/entry/how-many-home-learners-are-there-in-south-africa.html).

‘Several factors have driven the growth of home education as an alternative option, ranging from increasingly sophisticated distance e-learning technology to an ever-growing network of tutors. Because it’s based on individual needs, home education can provide a safe space for children who may have found the traditional schooling environment challenging,’ says Cronje.

In 2018 about 12 372 learners from distance education organisations around South Africa sat for the IEB exam, achieving a 98.9% pass rate. Of the 12 372 learners who wrote the exams, 90.65% are eligible to study for a university degree, 7.33% to study for a diploma, and 0.95% (a drop from 1.3%) achieved entry for study at a higher certificate level (https://mg.co.za/article/2019-01-03-00-ieb-matric-results-989-pass-rate).