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Matric cheaters a concern for Umalusi

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Education quality assurance body Umalusi says it is concerned with increased irregularities during matric examinations. The body approved the Department of Basic Education’s 2022 national senior certificate in Pretoria on Monday, ahead of the release of results this week.

According to reports received from different assessment bodies, different forms of cheating were uncovered in some centres during the examinations. Invigilators will now also be investigated following a rise in irregularities. Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi says assessment bodies are however doing their best to curb the scourge.

“It’s getting worse, people are getting desperate, and we are not going to allow this to just run because it will affect the currency of the qualification. That is why we have appealed to assessment bodies to curb these practices. And we also commend the assessment bodies for identifying irregularities themselves without even members of the community blowing the whistle so the assessment bodies are on the ball in this regard)

Successful examinations

Meanwhile, speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria, Chairperson of the Umalusi Council Professor Yunus Ballim congratulated the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) for conducting successful examinations.

Five hundred and ten (520) subjects were written during the 2022 November examination period. Umalusi commended SACAI for managing to administer exams for the first time as a fully accredited body.

“The SACAI has for the first time conducted and managed the 2022 examinations as a fully accredited assessment body after Umalusi granted it full accreditation status to assess the NSC and the General Education and Training Certificate: Adult Education and Training (GETC: ABET) with effect from 1 October 2022. The SACAI administered the NSC examinations to 4 951 candidates in 2022. The SACAI presented to Umalusi 25 subjects for standardisation. ”

More than 13 000 candidates wrote the IEB exams at 262 examination centres.

” The Executive Committee of Council therefore approves the release of the IEB November 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations results. In respect of identified irregularities, the IEB is required to nullify the results of all candidates implicated in irregularities. The Executive Committee of Council commends the
IEB for conducting a successful examination, ” says Ballim.

The Department of Education administered examinations to more than 900 000 candidates.

” The DBE’s examinations were administered to 921 879 candidates. Of this number, 167 119 or 18% of the candidates were part-time candidates. The examinations were administered at 6 907 centres throughout the country. The marking of examination scripts happened at 191 centres across the country, ” says Ballim.

Errors in papers

He noted errors in some of the question papers including Maths Paper 2.

“Regarding the problematic Question 5.1, Umalusi appointed a three person independent panel ‘to investigate how the error/s in the Mathematics Paper 2 may have crept in and went undetected until the final question paper was administered by the DBE on 7 November 2022. ”

No marks have been allocated to the question as a result of the error.

Ballim also emphasised the detrimental effect of community protests on examinations. He called on communities to prioritise the education the youth and protect their education facilities during the protests.

Umalusi says it will continue to strive for high quality standards.

” It is precisely for this reason that all stakeholders within the South African education system are urged to approach the education of our children
as a social justice issue.” – Additional Reporting by Phanuel Shuma

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