TODAY matriculants from around the country will sit for the first paper of their final examinations when they write English: Paper 1.
But 24-year-old Amanda Daniso, who spent the whole year preparing for the exams, will not be able to write after her school, Victory Training College, failed to register her with the Department of Basic Education.
Victory Training College is a private college that offers the matric curriculum, information technology and computer programming, among other subjects. It has branches in Pretoria and Johannesburg. Daniso attended its Pretoria branch.
It has since emerged that the Pretoria branch is not registered to administer matric exams.
Gauteng department of eduction (GDE) spokesman Charles Phahlane said: "Learners need to ensure that their institution of choice is a registered examination centre by contacting the department.
"It is not sufficient to be just registered as a school, you need to register to conduct matric examinations. GDE also prints two preliminary schedules of entries that are sent to examination centres to confirm registration and validate data.
"A final schedule of entries to examination centres is also printed by the GDE together with a learner's admission letter and personal timetables."
Daniso registered with the college at the beginning of the year for five subjects - geography, maths literacy, history, English and life sciences.
"This is very painful. Does this mean I am not going to write?" she asked.
Daniso said she completed the registration forms on March 15 but was only informed last week that she did not have a timetable.
District offices distribute timetables to schools to be given to pupils indicating the dates and subjects registered for examinations.
It also supplies them with a student number, which needs to be filled in on each exam paper they write.
"What am I supposed to do now? I am already old and need to finish matric. The school told me that I could register for N-subjects [further education and training subject classifications], but I do not want that. I want to get my matric."
She said she had attended all classes and was up to date with her fees.
The college charges R430 a month for each subject.
The college's Pretoria principal, known only as "Mr Mike", insisted Daniso was registered: "The matter has been sorted out. The learner will write her exams."
The department has confirmed she is not registered.
Yesterday, Daniso said the principal had told her to come to school today and that she "would be able to write" the English paper.
Phahlane said other students at the college "might" have been registered by other examination centres.
"The department asked learners in May, as well as in July, to verify if they were registered. They also needed to confirm if their details were captured correctly," he said, adding it was too late to register Daniso at this stage.
The department is now investigating the college.
College 'failed' me
TODAY matriculants from around the country will sit for the first paper of their final examinations when they write English: Paper 1.
But 24-year-old Amanda Daniso, who spent the whole year preparing for the exams, will not be able to write after her school, Victory Training College, failed to register her with the Department of Basic Education.
Victory Training College is a private college that offers the matric curriculum, information technology and computer programming, among other subjects. It has branches in Pretoria and Johannesburg. Daniso attended its Pretoria branch.
It has since emerged that the Pretoria branch is not registered to administer matric exams.
Gauteng department of eduction (GDE) spokesman Charles Phahlane said: "Learners need to ensure that their institution of choice is a registered examination centre by contacting the department.
"It is not sufficient to be just registered as a school, you need to register to conduct matric examinations. GDE also prints two preliminary schedules of entries that are sent to examination centres to confirm registration and validate data.
"A final schedule of entries to examination centres is also printed by the GDE together with a learner's admission letter and personal timetables."
Daniso registered with the college at the beginning of the year for five subjects - geography, maths literacy, history, English and life sciences.
"This is very painful. Does this mean I am not going to write?" she asked.
Daniso said she completed the registration forms on March 15 but was only informed last week that she did not have a timetable.
District offices distribute timetables to schools to be given to pupils indicating the dates and subjects registered for examinations.
It also supplies them with a student number, which needs to be filled in on each exam paper they write.
"What am I supposed to do now? I am already old and need to finish matric. The school told me that I could register for N-subjects [further education and training subject classifications], but I do not want that. I want to get my matric."
She said she had attended all classes and was up to date with her fees.
The college charges R430 a month for each subject.
The college's Pretoria principal, known only as "Mr Mike", insisted Daniso was registered: "The matter has been sorted out. The learner will write her exams."
The department has confirmed she is not registered.
Yesterday, Daniso said the principal had told her to come to school today and that she "would be able to write" the English paper.
Phahlane said other students at the college "might" have been registered by other examination centres.
"The department asked learners in May, as well as in July, to verify if they were registered. They also needed to confirm if their details were captured correctly," he said, adding it was too late to register Daniso at this stage.
The department is now investigating the college.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos