By Simon Nare
Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi has given the Department of Basic Education the green light to release the 2024 matric results despite revelations that 407 cases of cheating were detected during the exams.
They were mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Rakometsi said that even though the cases were less than the 945 reported in 2023, Umalusi remained concerned, especially as the two provinces had once again topped the list. There were 195 cases in KwaZulu-Natal and 74 in Mpumalanga.
Addressing a media briefing on the matric results on Monday, Rakometsi said the results were credible and were monitored be several independent bodies and three bodies from neighbouring countries Lesotho, Zambia and Malawi.
He cautioned against cheating tendencies.
“I want to state emphatically that cheating does not pay. This finds support in the judgment of the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court which was delivered on 12 August 2024 in respect of 448 learners from a number of schools in the Mpumalanga Province who cheated during their NSC examinations during October/December 2022,” he said.
Umalusi also received a report from the department that an independent school allowed 30 candidates who did not pass Grade 11 to register for the Grade 12 examinations. The school’s registration has been revoked.
Rakometsi said that Umalusi had learnt from reports presented by the Department of Higher Education and Training that 128 private colleges administered the N2-N3 examinations despite the colleges not being accredited by Umalusi.
It has directed the department to investigate the matter and furnish it with a full report.
He said a total of 1,060,852 learners sat for end of the year examinations. The National Senior Certificate accounted for 832,993 candidates.
The remaining 227,859 were spread across three qualifications with 138 000 writing the national certificate vocational L2-L4 examinations, 49,421 the N2-N3 examinations, and 40,438 wrote the GETC: ABET examinations.
The exams were administered at 9,566 examination centres across the nine provinces.
Rakometsi said that he was confident about that the standardisation of the exam results.
“Crucially important, I want to assure you that there were no deviations from the standardisation principles in the manner in which the ASC (Assessment Standards Committee) standardised the 514 subject results.
“This makes it abundantly clear that the ASC carries a great responsibility on its shoulders, i.e. to ensure that Umalusi truly honours its vision of being a trusted authority in fostering high education standards in General and Further Education and Training (GFET),” he said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
