Cape Town - More than 1000 pupils across 201 schools in the province do not have an identity number on the examination system, the Western Cape Education Department says.
Spokesperson Millicent Merton said at least 1359 learners are without ID numbers in the exam system. However, she said the use of ID numbers was not compulsory for the writing of exams.
Merton said schools usually assist learners in obtaining an ID where possible, and the province would work with the Basic Education and Home Affairs departments to facilitate such processes.
The two departments, Home Affairs and Basic Education, have launched a campaign to facilitate applications for identity documents for matric learners as part of Youth Month celebrations.
Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola said following government’s decision on the reopening of schools for Grades 7 and 12 learners, the department has taken a decision to gradually phase in the application of IDs for matriculants in line with Covid-19 regulations pertaining to services offered to the public.
DA national spokesperson for Home Affairs Adrian Roos said Home Affairs proudly announced that 25 offices in South Africa would be open on Youth Day to allow matrics to apply for ID. “That was simply not good enough,” he said.
Roos said with Home Affairs currently working on one-third of its staff complement it meant that two-thirds of staff had been at home for the past three months on full pay while matrics have been unable to apply for ID.
“If Home Affairs can open some offices on Youth Day to process ID applications there is no reason they cannot open all offices once a week for urgent ID applications - every office on every Saturday,” Roos said.
“Without urgent and meaningful intervention, matrics will sit at the end of a year that is even more stressful than normal without an ID document to be able to receive their results,” he said.
@SISONKE_MD