As the 2025 final exams draw to a close, the Gauteng Department of Education (GED) has issued a strong warning to matric students and their families, advising them to avoid risky "pens down" parties that are increasingly linked to tragic outcomes.
This warning coincides with the completion of the final National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams by thousands of Grade 12 students in Gauteng and throughout the nation. For many, the exam season officially ended on Thursday, November 27, when the final scheduled papers, including practical rewrites for Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Paper 1 and Information Technology (IT) Paper 1, were written.
Although the end of an exam is typically an exciting time, the GED warned that the festivities have turned into dangerous events characterized by binge drinking, drug use, careless driving, and large groups of teenagers.
The department’s renewed caution follows a series of devastating incidents linked to these year-end celebrations.
In 2023, five learners from Dinwiddie High School in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, died in a pens-down party-related incident, a tragedy that shocked the province and reignited national concern. It came just a year after the 2022 Enyobeni Tavern disaster in the Eastern Cape, where 21 teenagers died during a crowded celebration.
GED spokesperson Steve Mabona urged learners to celebrate responsibly, stressing that the department condemns the behaviours commonly associated with pens-down parties.
“We are discouraging the pens-down parties which might end in casualties,” Mabona said. “We have been saying to candidates: you can celebrate, but responsibly. No alcohol, no parties that would end up with casualties. So far, we are quite happy, but we urge learners to remain vigilant.”
He added that the department encourages parents and guardians to remain alert and involved as celebrations begin, warning that unsupervised mass parties often create environments where underage drinking and drug experimentation thrive, placing young people at serious risk of harm.
Mabona further noted that aside from isolated behavioural concerns, the GED’s biggest challenge during the exam period has been absenteeism among part-time candidates.
“Generally, we have been doing very well besides the absenteeism of part-time candidates. If you enrol that you are going to write, you must prepare and make sure that you go and write,” he said.
As the festive season approaches, the department is calling on families and communities to prioritise safety and ensure that end-of-year celebrations honour achievement, not result in preventable tragedy.
The Star
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