New 2021 start dates for South African schools and universities



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Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says that to ensure that enrollees are not compromised by late release of Grade 12 results, Universities South Africa agreed to extend the academic year until the end of February 2021.

Universities are expected to begin their 2021 academic year in March or April of next year. This, Motshekga said, will ensure that students can still be admitted on time to institutions of higher education.

The Minister said this when ministers from the Social Services Cluster responded to oral questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“On August 24 of this year, our Director General (Mathanzima) Mweli met with Universities South Africa, which is the body that regulates admissions to higher education institutions, and they indicated that universities will extend the 2020 academic year until the end February next year.

“So, although the opening of universities is not universal, we are sure that when we publish the (matrix) results on February 23 of next year, we will not be at a disadvantage for students because most universities will start their 2021 academic year in March or April of the next year, “she said.

This comes after the department announced last month that the 2020 12th grade exams would be completed on December 15, grading will conclude on January 22, and results will be released on February 23, 2021.

The new school year will begin on January 25, 2021 for teachers and students a few days later.

Support for enrollees doing homeschooling

Motshekga said, meanwhile, that those enrolled in homeschooling are receiving the necessary support.

“There is support for self-directed lesson plans, which are accompanied by study and review guides.

“We also provide them with worksheets that allow them to review. We give them recorded lessons. We also launched a very good program last week, which we call Woza Matric, which are recorded lessons that are online and also on different stations ”.

The minister said the department is also using the media.

“We help them form study groups through additional printed material and online support, but we also found that different schools and provinces do their best to help them.”


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