Vhembe matrics to rewrite exams after leak

More than 17,000 matric pupils in Limpopo will be forced to rewrite two Life Science examination papers following an exam paper leak in the province just over a week ago.

The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that 17,500 matric pupils were set to do the rewrite, following an investigation by a special task team set up to probe how the leak occurred and also the scope of it.

The task team had briefed Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on the impact of the November 16 Life Science Paper Two leak.

On Thursday, departmental spokesman Elaijah Mhlanga said the department has resolved that pupils from the Vhembe district would re-write Life Sciences Paper One and Paper Two.

“This decision was taken after it was confirmed that a copy of the 2015 National Senior Certificate examination paper for Life Sciences was circulated amongst some learners before the commencement of the examination.”

Pupils at Marude Secondary school in Thohoyandou were found possession of the paper days before examination.

It is alleged that an official close to the examination process had leaked the paper to pupils at the school, who in turn distributed the paper to their friends via social media.

“We have taken a decision that learners from the Vhembe school district in the Limpopo Province will rewrite the Life Sciences paper 1 and Life Sciences paper 2,” said Mhlanga.

Mhlanga said at the time they could not stop pupils from proceeding with examinations as investigations were still underway.

“The DBE immediately established an investigation team comprising the South African Qualifications Authority, University South Africa, Umalusi and the DBE and the investigation in the province has covered much ground.”

Mhlanga said a criminal investigation was also initiated as the NSC examinations are protected through legislation.

Mhlanga said investigations revealed that the leakage was confined to the five circuits in the Vhembe district and five learners in Gauteng and two learners in Mpumalanga.

“At this stage it appears that Life Sciences Paper 1 and Life Sciences Paper 2 were shared with the implicated learners in the Vhembe district; in the main via social media application WhatsApp.”

The department said learners in Gauteng and Mpumalanga had access to Life Sciences Paper 2 only and that this was confined to a small number of pupils who would be dealt with on an individual basis.

The Hawks investigation unit had now taken over the investigation covering the three provinces implicated. The investigation was ongoing and the devices of some pupils had been confiscated for the purposes of forensic investigation.

The re-writing is scheduled as follows:

— Life Sciences Paper 1: 4 December 2015

— Life Sciences Paper 2: 8 December 2015.

The department said it understood that there were some pupils who were not implicated in the leak, and said that that some who did not cheat would also have to rewrite the examinations. “However, this is the unfortunate consequence which is vital in maintaining the credibility of the NSC examinations in the country.”

The DBE said it was not taking the incident lightly and hoped to send out a strong message to learners, teachers and officials that cheating in the examinations would not be tolerated.

“It is only through hard work and diligent study that good results will be achieved.”

Motshekga said last week that the re-write was aimed at ensuring that the credibility of the examination in the province as a whole was maintained.

(File photo: Gallo Images)