PRELIMINARY examinations started on a smooth note in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday with no disruptions being reported.

Teacher unions in the province commended teachers and pupils for getting back into the mood of teaching and learning days after the strike ended last week.

The National Teachers Union said there were no incidents reported in the province and all the schools that were scheduled to write these exams went ahead as planned.

"We wish pupils well in these exams, especially after having lost learning time during the strike and we hope that these exams will prepare them for the final exams," the union said.

Study groups

Various education stakeholders, including teacher unions, had proposed that the exams be cancelled and that the few weeks left before the final exams be used to prepare the Grade 12s for those exams.

However, the education department went ahead with the trial exams.

Department of education spokesperson Mbali Thusi confirmed there were no problems or disruptions.

The exam contributes 25percent to the matriculant's final mark, she said.

She said the trial exams were being written at schools that recorded a pass rate of less than 60percent in last year's matric results.

Pupils from Isibonelo High School, where a matric study group was set up by students during the strike, said they were confident that the results for the trials would be good.

Study group chairperson Samukelisiwe Gcabashe said they had been worried that they would not be able to write the exams.

"Although we lost a lot of learning time we felt that it was important to have a taste of what the final exam papers would be like," Gcabashe said.