The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that it has launched a thorough investigation into allegations of exam cheating involving pupils, teachers and invigilators in five schools in Mpumalanga.
Elijah Mhlanga, spokesperson for the department, said it has received the report into a preliminary investigation into allegations that pupils, teachers and invigilators were involved in an elaborate examination cheating scam that has necessitated a thorough investigation.
Mhlanga added that no investigation is taking place in other provinces.
“Yes, there is an investigation under way in Mpumalanga. About five schools are involved,” Mhlanga told Sunday World on Monday.
“It is unknown how many learners are involved. We have received the preliminary report and it has formed the basis for a thorough investigation. The terms of the thorough investigation will be finalised soon.”
Media reports said at the weekend that pupils in several schools in Mpumalanga were allegedly charged up to R1 500 by teachers to get access to answers for maths and physical science exams.
The scam, which allegedly involved teachers and invigilators who helped pupils to cheat by posting answers on a WhatsApp group with some invigilators even providing answers during toilet breaks, was exposed by a whistleblower.
Asked whether the department is investigating other similar incidents of cheating in other provinces, Mhlanga said: “No. There are no other investigations under way into allegations of cheating in other provices. Nothing.”
In a statement issued last week, the department said it received reports requesting that some candidates be granted permission to rewrite examinations in selected subjects.
“Various reasons were provided to substantiate these requests. The DBE [Department of Basic Education] assessed the requests from provincial education departments [PEDs] and in instances where valid reasons were presented, which were not of the learner’s doing, the DBE and Umalusi granted permission for rewrite opportunities in the following selected subjects:
- Mathematics Paper 2: Mpumalanga department of education;
- Mathematical Literacy Paper 1: Eastern Cape department of education;
- Mathematical Literacy P2: Mpumalanga department of education, Eastern Cape department of education and North West department of education;
- Economics P1: Gauteng department of education;
- English First Additional Language Paper 1: Limpopo department of education and Western Cape department of education.”
The department said some of the reasons for the missed examinations include candidates who experienced technical glitches during the writing of Computer Applications Technology Paper 1 and Information Technology Paper 1, or who due to loadshedding could not complete the examination.
“Fifty-three Economics P1 candidates from Phand’imfundo Secondary Gauteng who missed exam due to the principal’s actions; 1 127 candidates from seven schools in Witbank, Mpumalanga who missed exams due to community protest actions.
“Two pregnant learners from Western Cape and Limpopo who were not allowed to write English P1; three learners from North West who missed Maths Literacy Paper 2 due to floods, and four learners from Eastern Cape who missed Maths Literacy P1 and P2 due to the principal’s actions,” read the statement issued last week.
The department further said the marking sessions of matric exam question papers started at the weekend and will continue until December 22, noting that the matter regarding unsolvable Mathematics Paper 2 questions has been resolved.
“Question 5.1 [with seven marks] in the Mathematics P2 was found to be faulty. The question will be excluded from the marking process. The question paper will be marked out of 143 and the mark will be upscaled to 150,” read the statement.
On Sunday, the department announced that Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga will announce the matric results on January 19 and that the statements of results will be available at schools and exam centres from January 20.
Pupils who wish to apply for remarking or checking of results have until February 3 to apply. February 8 will be the last day for pupils to register for May/June examination and March 15 will be the last day for registration for the November/December exams.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
