Many Grade 12 learners who have applied to rewrite their matric exams and those hoping to upgrade their marks will be spending the long weekend going through their study notes.
The so-called second-chance exams start on Wednesday, 3 May.
They are written in May and June every year under the Department of Basic Education (DBE)'s Second Chance Matric Support Programme.
"I hope you have looked at your timetable and that you would have gone to the district to receive your personal timetable which will have: your name; a list of your subjects that you are writing; where and when you are writing them," said DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga this week during a school visit.
"Go to a school near you and find someone who can assist you to prepare thoroughly for these exams and use past question papers - they will help you as well."
Mhlanga said the DBE would like to see everyone who has registered show up for their exams.
"We have been [seeing] over the years that some people who register for these exams don't come to write.
Some of those who write don't do that well and then don't come back again.
"What we have done in the department is if you registered to write for the May/June exams and you don't do well, we can give you another opportunity to write in October/November when the final end-of-year exam is written by the full-time candidates that are currently in class."