UCT Online High School has reformatted its Adult Matric Preparation Programme (ASC) qualification into a subscription-based model, designed to fit the learner’s schedule and pocket.
According to the online high school, the new programme, available on-demand, offers adults the chance to further their education, and the flexibility to work and study at the same time, allowing them to structure their study time around existing commitments.
UCT Online High School first introduced its adult matric programme in 2022, offered through Cambridge Assessment International Education and delivered entirely online.
The new subscription-based model comes with the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE’s) Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) programme, which does not stipulate a set year in which it needs to be completed. The DBE certifies the Amended Senior Certificate on behalf of UCT Online High School.
In the education institution’s quest to create an equitable education system, the reformed programme offers a more affordable model in three bundle options:
- The Full Preparation Programme bundle: R800 per month subscription (previously R2 195).
- The Half Preparation Programme bundle: R600 per month subscription.
- The Per Single Subject bundle: R450 per month subscription.
“In a country with a staggering 32.9% national unemployment rate, education is a vital pillar for a thriving society,” says Darryn Lee, UCT Online High School spokesperson.
“According to Stats SA, approximately 31% of South African adults are not qualified for further and higher education. This excludes some 21 million adults from a wide range of skilled and professional areas of employment.
“The ASC, or self-study adult matric, is equivalent to the National Senior Certificate awarded to high school graduates and provides these young adults with a promising future.”
To qualify for the ASC registration, individuals must be 21 years or older and complete exams for six subjects, with final exams determining 100% of the grade.
Most adult learners complete the ASC part-time, so the length of time taken to complete it can be longer (up to 36 months), depending on their capacity for commitment.
According to the online school, at any given time there are about 250 000 people working towards a matric certificate outside the full-time schooling system in SA.
Since an average of 800 000 candidates write matric examinations each year, over a third of the total matric cohort consists of non-traditional learners, or second chance matriculants.
The UCT Online High School says its learning model combines self-paced learning with structured flexibility.
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