The main duty of any examination authority is to preserve the integrity of the examination for past, present and future graduates. Examination irregularities erode the confidence in our results and render the qualifications useless.
The Department of basic education’s 2020 matric examinations were plagued by a myriad of irregularities involving the leaking of question papers.
The Department had to withdraw a number of question papers meant to be administered and used back-ups. This was unprecedented in the history of the most important examination which is an exit to tertiary education.
Learners from schools in Eastern Cape are feeling the wrath of the department of basic education following suspicion of examination irregularities. The department of basic education has withheld their 2021 examination results.
Parents and the SGB took the department to court seeking relief, but their case has been dismissed. The department is elated by the ruling while parents and affected learners are reeling.
The Department of basic education has set a national target for every school in the country. Schools are expected to produce a minimum of 65 percent pass rate in their matric results.
Many schools feel the pressure of not meeting this target and often resort to illegal means to improve their results. Unfortunately this always backfires and those implicated get punished severely being suspended for a period of three years or jail.
While this might seem like a cruel and unusual punishment it is necessary to bring back the integrity of our matric examination. Most of high performing learners get accepted by international institutions to study abroad, scandals like this could cast doubt over their sterling performance.
The Department is currently investigating the irregularities the possibility of the involvement of invigilators and teachers.
The Eastern Cape province was at the bottom in the performance of matric, but has somehow recovered and is now counted among the best performing provinces.
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