Lobby group AfriForum has joined organisations that have lodged urgent court action against the Basic Education Department over its decision to force matriculants to rewrite two examination papers that were leaked.
Minister Angie Motshekga announced last Friday that learners would rewrite Mathematics Paper Two and Physical Science Paper Two on December 15 and 17 respectively.
AfriForum says it will assist four matriculants in the urgent court application in the High Court in Pretoria.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel says it is unfair for the department to paint all learners with the same brush.
Kriel says, “We are taking this on in terms of the regulations of the department which states that if you were not benefited by any form of cheating and you played no role in it your exam paper should be marked and the marks you achieved should be published. From our side, we have a strong case.”
Court bid
On Sunday, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the Congress of South African Students said they are set to challenge the Basic Education Ministry in court over the national rewrite of the two leaked matric papers.
The National Professional Teacher’s Organisation of South Africa believes the exam rewrites should have been targeted at the schools where evidence was found of pupils having accessed the leaked exam papers.
In the video below, Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi and Naptosa President Nkosiphendule Ntantala are being interviewed:
The National Teachers’ Union Allen Thompson welcomes the decision for matrics to rewrite:
Department of Basic Education says it will defend its matric exam rewrite decision in court.
