By Simon Nare
Aside from a few glitches, some of them beyond human control, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced well-managed National Senior Certificate exams that entered their 12th day on Wednesday.
While updating the nation on the progress of the exams, Gwarube said the halfway mark had now been passed, and system has been showing strength and resilience in ensuring the integrity of the exams.
So far, she announced that:
- 104 of the 181 question papers have been written, which represented 58% of exams
- Five schools in the Jan Kemdorp area were affected by a taxi strike, but all candidates from the schools were able to write their exams.
- There was protest action in Limpopo and with the help of SAPS matric candidates were escorted to the school and were able to write.
- KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga faced disruptions caused by inclement weather. The department activated contingency plans and learners were able to write and complete their papers.
- There were power outages in some areas and back-up generators were relied on for learners to complete their exam papers.
- A learner could not finish their paper as they were arrested inside the exam venue as a suspect in an armed robbery case.
- Cellphones and crib notes were found and confiscated from a very small number of learners and they are being investigated.
- Two imposter candidates were detected and arrested for attempting to take an exam.
Gwarube also addressed the rape for matric learners in Mqhekezweni in the Eastern Cape. The matriculants had had sought accommodation in a house next to the writing centre.
She said they were receiving counselling so that they could finish writing the exams.
“The department has prioritised psychosocial support for the affected learners, ensuring that they have access to counselling and trauma care services. Our priority is to support them in their recovery; giving them the space and assistance they need to heal,” she said.
Overall, the minister was delighted that the system was holding up, and that the writing was progressing well.
She said the department had taken comprehensive measures to safeguard the integrity of the exams to ensure that every learner received a fair, consistent and supportive experience.
The department was focused on maintaining the exams integrity while responding proactively to any operational challenges, including weather disruptions.
“We are steadfast in our support of learners affected by tragic incidents, and will continue to provide them with the psychosocial support they need.
“Furthermore, we are addressing food safety with the utmost urgency and are implementing regulations to ban hazardous pesticides from school premises to protect our children,” she added.
She said the exam operation system had been designed to pre-empt and resolve challenges quickly and effectively. This ranged from the distribution of exam papers to the management of security and supervision.
“We are leveraging technology to maintain real-time oversight, which enables us to detect any irregularities and address them before they can substantially impact the examination process,” she said.
“We recognise that the final leg of exams is crucial, and we are committed to providing every learner with the opportunity to complete their exams without unnecessary obstacles.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
