Evidence of cheating at 10 Mpumalanga schools prompted examination controlling body Umalusi to direct that the matric results of more than 2?300 pupils be withheld pending an investigation.
The results of the other 36?000-odd Mpumalanga matric candidates were to be released on January 15.
The Umalusi council concluded that evidence existed of ‘irregular practices†at 10 of the province’s 587 examination centres.
‘The [Umalusi] council not only found … some evidence of candidates being assisted during the writing of the examinations … but an analysis of the … examination marks of 2004 … also revealed that there were significant increases in the marks of these 10 centres [from 2003],†Umalusi chairperson John Pampallis said.
Claims also surfaced of cheating at four other centres, but these could not be investigated, because examination scripts were not immediately available. The results of these centres’ candidates would also be held back until investigations were concluded later in the month, said Pampallis.
The Mpumalanga education department would be tasked with investigating the allegations of irregularities at the 14 centres.
The 2004 matric results of the country’s other eight provinces were released on December 29. Mpumalanga’s results were withheld in view of a police investigation sparked by an exam marker’s report of suspected cheating.
Umalusi director Rufus Poliah said irregularities were found in exams in 12 subjects. He could not say how many scripts were affected.
Investigators found evidence of common answers at some exam centres and of similar changes made to answers by groups of students.
There was no proof of collusion between schools, of departmental memoranda having been made available to pupils, or of wrongdoing by departmental staff, Pampallis said. It was possible, however, that teachers and principals may have provided pupils with answers.
Brian Schreuder, chairperson of the assessment committee, said cheating pupils could have their results nullified and be prevented from writing examinations in South Africa for two years. Implicated staff would face a criminal investigation. — Sapa