Failed matric? You still have plenty of options

Getting your results and finding out you have failed your matric exams may be incredibly hard to deal with, whether you expected it or not. It may feel like the biggest obstacle as you prepare for a career.

Fear not, it is not the end of the world, and there are several options available if you didn’t get the grades you were aiming for.

Have your papers remarked

If you believe your papers were incorrectly marked, you can request for it be rechecked at an additional fee. Alternatively, you can requests that your exam papers be remarked completely.

This costs R180 per paper, and every answer you provided will be verified. For more information, contact the Department of Education on 0800 202 933 or through their website.

Retake your exams

A third option would be to rewrite your papers during February and March, but remember to apply before 31 January 2018. You can rewrite your exam papers if you failed up to two subjects or if your marks weren’t good enough to enroll at University.

Consider joining the Second Chance programme

Then there’s the Second Chance programme. It was launched in 2015 and provides free support for students who want to rewrite their papers. They provide face-to-face tuition across all nine provinces, or via DSTV channel 319 and SABC 1. Find more information here.

Continue your studies

If retaking your exams or having your papers remarked is not an option, there are several institutions offering courses that don’t require you to have a Matric certificate. The courses usually range in length from three to six months, or up to two years.

Through Skills Academy, you can do study anything from Bookkeeping and Forensic Investigation to Guest House Management, Interior Design and Child Psychology. Find more information here.

You can also enrol at a TVET college for a vocational or occupational qualification. A TVET certificate will also allow you to register at University later. Some of these qualifications include Financial Accounting Courses, Entrepreneurship Courses.

It might feel overwhelming at first but failing your matric exams is not the end of the world. You got this!