Umalusi to work with relevant structures following matric paper leak

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has welcomed quality assurance body Umalusi’s decision to work with the relevant structures following the leaking of matric exam papers. This after the DBE announced that there will be no rewrite of the leaked Maths Paper 2 and Physical Science Paper 2.

The rewrites were scheduled for 15 and 17 December respectively.

The High Court in Pretoria last week set aside the decision to force all matriculants to rewrite, with the Council of Education agreeing that learners faced a number of challenges in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

High Court in Pretoria sets aside matric rewrite decision:

Basic Education spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says Umalusi has decided against pre-empting the integrity of the 2020 National Senior Certificate exams.

“I think Umalusi is correct in not participating in the discussions because they have a difficult job to do. They will be the final authority on the announcement regarding the integrity, credibility and fairness of the results. But that will happen once the department has completed its work. Whatever they say, they might be accused of already having taken aside – whereas in their statement they say they don’t want to take a side; they know their judgment and they will wait until the department has completed its work and submit an irregularities report, which is something that we are going to do. It is that report that the department will do once marking has been completed which will assist them in making a decision.”

The National Professional Teacher’s Organisation (NAPTOSA) has outlined the process that needs to take place before Umalusi determines the integrity of the 2020 National Senior Certificate exams.

NAPTOSA’s Executive Director Basil Manuel says they have got to go on with marking.

“We’ve got to get on with the process and get to marking. Marking will pick up that there are some irregularities which we have to deal with. Umalusi in its own right has to then determine, based on those irregularities, if they are substantial enough to warrant a question on the exam as a whole; which we don’t believe is true because you have to show substantial irregularities to say the entire exam is called into question. That is the only process that is left for now, irrespective of unhappiness, we’ve got to go through with the process as it stands.”