By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) says there are no cases of leaked exam papers reported in the 2023 matric exams.
The 2023 National Senior Certificate examinations were concluded on 6 December 2023. Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga will announce the outcome of the examinations on Thursday.
Results will be released to candidates on Friday.
Umalusi council chairperson Professor Yunus Ballim and CEO Mafu Ramoketsi were updating the country on Monday on the assessment of the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams.
“Having studied all the evidence presented, EXCO of Council concluded that the examinations were administered largely in accordance with the regulations pertaining to the conduct, administration and management of the [NSC] examinations.
“EXCO of Council therefore approves the release of the DBE November 2023 [NSC] examination results,” Ballim said.
He added that irregularities that were identified during the writing and marking stages of the examinations “were not systemic and therefore did not compromise the overall credibility and integrity” of the NSC exams administered by the DBE.
Rakometsi discussed Umalusi’s quality assurance processes, which include monitoring examination centres, verifying the quality of marking, and standardising examination marks. These processes are integral in assuring the quality of national examination results.
Addressing specific challenges, Umalusi identified printing errors and poor translation quality in some exam papers. To mitigate the impact of these errors on candidates’ performance, affected questions were excluded from the marking process.
Despite a reduction in reported cases, Umalusi remains concerned about unresolved irregularities, particularly group copying cases detected in various provinces.
“We are seriously concerned about these cases and are working diligently to resolve them,” he said.
“These cases are not yet resolved because the numbers are still being verified. Of the total 763 cases, which is 80.7%, were detected in KwaZulu-Natal and 164 cases, which constitute 17.7%, were detected in Mpumalanga,” he said.
Rakometsi revealed that 11 suspects were apprehended by the South African Police Service (SAPS) for their involvement in fraudulent activities related to exam certificates.
Of those arrested, two were arrested in Limpopo on October, one in Pretoria in November and three more in Limpopo in the same month.
All the suspects are expected back in court this month, he added.
“We will continue to work closely with the law enforcement agencies in whatever way possible to ensure that the scammers and fraudsters are made to face the full might of the law. We would like to reassure the members of the public that there are significantly robust safeguards to protect the authenticity and credibility.
“Let me make it crystal clear that Umalusi’s mandate is to issue authentic certificates to qualifying candidates. We have no business with fake certificates.”
To further safeguard the credibility of qualifications, Umalusi advises employers to verify the qualifications of their employees.
Rakometsi concluded by reaffirming Umalusi’s commitment to maintaining high standards in the educational system.
“Umalusi appreciates the efforts of all the four assessment bodies for ensuring that candidates were shielded from all forms of hindrances that gives the assurance that there was no compromise to the 2023 examinations,” Rakometsi said.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa wished the class of 2023 good luck.
In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said the country came a long way in providing education.
He said there’s a significant improvement in the number of South Africans who completed secondary school today compared to 1996.
Ramaphosa said he has no doubt that the Class of 2023 will make the country proud with its performance.
He acknowledged that the education sector is facing challenges “as it works to meet the needs of our growing population [and] we are working to overcome them”.
“However, given our country’s history of marginalisation and exclusion, that we have made such substantial progress in expanding access to education over the past three decades is significant.
“In South Africa today, basic and higher education is accessible to the children and grandchildren of farmworkers, mineworkers and domestic workers, many of whom were denied such opportunities in the not-too-distant apartheid past. We will continue to build on our gains in our quest to leave no-one behind.”
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