MATRIC pupils around the country started writing preliminary exams this week but it is unclear whether those in Northern Cape will sit for the tests.

Protests in the Johan Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality have affected schooling for 16,000 pupils since June.

Preliminary exams have started in the other provinces and are aimed at preparing pupils for the final matric assessments to be written from October 20.

But, these have been stymied in Northern Cape.

"Prelims can be postponed and are not compulsory," Basic Education spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said. "Each province can determine whether the learners write or not."

Lesufi, who is also part of a ministerial task team that was dispatched to the area last week, said the department had placed 374 pupils in a study camp outside Kimberley.

"The aim of the camp is to fast-track the curriculum," Lesufi said. "The learners will be in the camp until they finish matric. The teachers in the camp are ones that wanted to go."