R10,000 for exams? The hidden cost of matric year

Matric year often brings a cluster of smaller bills that together can run into thousands of rand. Aside from farewell functions, uniforms and stationery, families report paying for extra lessons, revision camps, university applications, transport, printing, mobile data and, in some cases, formal examination fees.

Many smaller expenses add up

Financial advisers quoted in the source say it is the accumulation of these costs not one single headline expense that strains household budgets during the National Senior Certificate year. Rowan Breeds, a debt counsellor at Debt Solutions 4U, is quoted saying that for many middle-class families, school fees have quietly become the largest monthly expense after the bond and the one most likely to push them into unmanageable debt.

Himal Parbhoo, CEO of FNB Insurance, warns families to budget for a “bundle” of related costs rather than a single item, because matric often creates a chain of expenses over several months.

Outside the classroom: what families are paying for

Parbhoo lists a range of common extra costs that can appear during the matric year: extra lessons, exam preparation courses, university and college application fees, certified documents, portfolio preparation, auditions, accommodation for out-of-town assessments, printing, data, transport and subject-specific materials.

Commentary noted in the source points to shifting expectations that drive demand for more tuition: where four or five distinctions once satisfied, some parents now push for seven or more, which has increased the use of extra classes, including weekend, holiday and public-holiday sessions.

Typical prices cited

• Extra lessons: quoted at anywhere between R1 930 a month per Grade 12 subject for one lesson a week to R550 an hour for IEB exams.
• Winter schools and revision camps: offered by schools and private providers for from a few hundred rand for individual subjects up to almost R1 000 for more comprehensive programmes.

Application and assessment costs

Application-related expenses can arrive close together and catch families by surprise, the source says. University application fees are cited as ranging from R100 to R300 per application. Other application-related costs include printing past papers, mobile data for study and transport to open days or interviews.

The source gives specific prices for standard assessments: the National Benchmark Tests cost R195 for the Academic and Quantitative Literacy test or R390 for both the Academic and Quantitative Literacy and Mathematics tests. A remark of an examination script costs R250 per subject.

Parbhoo notes that certain tertiary fields can carry additional upfront costs because they may require portfolios, auditions, interviews, aptitude tests, specialised documents or travel to assessment venues.

Private assessment bodies and exam fees

Dr Mické van der Westhuizen, head of communications at the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), explains that unlike public schools where many NSC examination costs are subsidised by the Department of Basic Education private assessment bodies recover the costs of administering examinations.

For learners writing Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams, the source quotes the cost of a standard set of seven final papers at around R10 000, with R1 690 per additional exam. The source states that these examination fees cover services such as approved examination venues, secure printing and couriering of papers, payment of trained invigilators, and the marking and quality assurance of scripts.

Extra charges and post-exam fees

Van der Westhuizen says additional charges may apply depending on subjects or approved accommodations. Learners taking subjects such as Visual Arts, Dramatic Arts or Design may need specialised practical examination venues. Learners with approved examination accommodations for example a separate venue, reader or scribe may also incur extra costs.

She also notes there are fees after the examinations: learners who want their scripts remarked, rechecked or viewed after results are released must pay separately for those services.

Practical budgeting advice in the coverage

Parbhoo advises that families under pressure should prioritise costs that protect the learner’s academic outcome and future options, paying attention to subjects required for admission, application deadlines and essential transport for interviews or assessments. He suggests families can consider group tutoring, school-based support, online resources, second-hand outfits and shared transport.

Source: IOL (reported facts and direct quotes are taken from the referenced coverage).