Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

As the public service strike enters its sixth day today, the Education Department is busy working on strategies to compensate for the lost school days.

The department said the strike has had a negative impact on pupils, especially matriculants.

Education director-general Duncan Hindle said: "Any disruptions of education will have a negative impact on the education system."

Hindle said that the examination dates had already been set, but because of the strike they can be rescheduled.

KwaZulu-Natal has already postponed its mid-year examinations because of the continuing strike.

Hindle said it was up to the provinces to decide how best they can handle the circumstances.

"We have one national paper in matric," he said.

"But provinces have to find ways to deal with the situation," he said.

Matriculants are the hardest hit by the strike because they use their June results when applying at tertiary institutions.

The department said that those who failed would be given an opportunity to re-write their matric within six months.

Hindle said: "We condemn any form of violence and intimidation directed at our employees."