With less than two week left until the 2018 National Senior Certificate Examinations that official start on 22 October 2018, this period can lead to great stress and anxiety for learners.

In preparing for final exams always work through as many past examination papers as you can. Support from parents, guardians and caregivers is important for learners during this stressful time.    

KST, shares five top tips on how learners can prepare for the upcoming examinations in order to achieve maximum results and urges learners to take ownership of their studies thorough effective exam preparation.

1. Committing to a study regime: It’s important to set goals from the beginning of the year; one of these goals should be in developing a realistic study timetable. It is essential to commit and stick to the timetable. Don’t be caught scrumming at the last minute preparing for an exam, start at least a week in advance.
2. Be a proactive participator in class and study groups: If you don’t ask, you won’t know and will remain disempowered. In order to learn new things, asking questions should be your key priority. Remember: there is no such thing as a stupid question; the stupid question is the one that remains unanswered. Be inquisitive and curious about your subjects, you will learn and understand so much more than what is in the textbook.
3. Use technology and social media wisely: There are educational chat groups available on the internet, broadcast (TV and radio programmes) and on social media platforms such as WhatsApp. Be careful not to use these sources simply for casual pleasure, balance your usage on these platforms and monitor the amount of time you spend on them.
4. Sleep: You need at least seven or eight hours of sleep a night to function. Tests and exams are designed to be thought provoking; this will demand a high span of concentration. If you are sleep-deprived, you will battle to remember your revision notes or work.
5. Use all the resources at your disposal: Resources go beyond the library, computer labs and equipment. Your educator is an incredible resource that you need to take advantage of. Don’t be intimidated by your educator, feel free to approach them for additional support and resources. Keep your eyes and ears open and you’ll realise that magazines, books, educational television programmes, and even your parents and peers, can contribute to your education outside of the classroom.

“We wish all South African Grade 12 learners well for the upcoming exam period. May they continue to thrive and do us proud as a nation,” concludes Kaya Nyati, Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Manager, KST.