/ 22 October 2009

KZN to probe matric leak claims

The KwaZulu-Natal education department and police are investigating allegations of matric exam paper leaks in certain parts of the province, provincial education minister Senzo Mchunu said on Thursday.

”We have picked up information that there are leaks in KwaZulu-Natal. Police are investigating. We are working closely with the police,” he told media in Durban.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said they would comment once they had analysed all complaints received.

”There is a priority committee that has been established at a provincial level that will be overseeing all matters that pertain to the examination processes.”

In Mpumalanga, two matric pupils and a teacher were expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after they were allegedly found in possession of leaked 2009 Mathematics paper 1 and 2, physical science paper 1 and 2, and accounting.

Despite the alleged leaks it was all systems go for the 2009 examinations in KwaZulu-Natal.

”The department of education in KwaZulu-Natal is now ready to conduct all end of the year examinations in all grades, particularly grade 12,” Mchunu said.

KwaZulu-Natal had 140 089 full-time and 12 400 part-time candidates registered for the examinations.

Marking at the province’s 31 centres would start on December 7, finish on December 16 and the results released on January 7 2010.

All necessary arrangements around the security and transport of exam papers had been made, he said.

Each district had a monitoring plan. All staff members had signed a confidentiality clause.

”The provincial examination staff members who have relatives writing examinations will not monitor schools where their relatives write.”

Education department head Dr Cassius Lubisi said matric results would be released to schools first, then to the newspapers. In the past results had been released to the media and then to schools.

Mchunu said the department was concerned about low results in business studies obtained during assessments.

”Business studies were lower than what they used to be. We are waiting for better results after the exams.”

2008 matriculant ”still waiting for results”
Meanwhile, an attorney’s letter has been sent to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to demand the results of a 2008 matriculant, Afriforum Youth said on Thursday.

”The matriculant, Tanya Wagenaar, is still waiting for the results of two subjects she wrote in the 2008 matric exam,” said Afriforum Youth chairperson Ernst Roets in a statement.

”The attorney’s letter requests that her matric certificate with all her results be released by Monday November 2.”

If the minister does not adhere to this, Afriforum Youth plans to take the matter to the High Court. — Sapa