Question NW359 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
10 March 2021 - NW359
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What measures have been put in place since the investigation into the exam leaks in 2020 to prevent such leaks from happening again?
Reply:
In response to the leaked question papers in Mathematics and Physical Science, the Director General appointed a National Investigation Task Team (NITT) and one of the objectives of the NITT was to make recommendations relating to improvement of the examination system so as to avoid a recurrence of these leakages.
Two recommendations emanating from the investigations of the National Investigation Task Team (NITT), relate to what needs to be done to improve the examination system so that a recurrence of a leakage is avoided.
Firstly, it is recommended that an audit of origination and printing processes a the Government Printing Works (GPW) be conducted given that these processes are susceptible to security breaches. An audit of the protocols and processes for securing the origination and printing be undertaken and that if this proves necessary a new protocol be established.
Secondly, in terms of the NITT report, the examination cycle has provided evidence of substantial compliance in most aspects of the process, from setting and moderation to the marking and resulting process, and in the handling of such other irregularities as did occur. The NITT is therefore, of the view that the system is otherwise secure. However, the DBE and the PEDs need to know how the leaks occurred and take such remedial action as may be necessary. The DBE will conduct a full audit of the printing, packing, distribution and storage of question papers across all the provinces and using the findings from previous audits will establish the extent to which the previous audit findings have been addressed and what are the new gaps that must be addressed.
The DBE will also await the outcome of the criminal investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), which will point the DBE to the actual source of the leakage and how it occurred. This will be fully interrogated and remedial measures will be put in place, ahead of the next examination.
The Department will also undertake to invest in the latest technology relating to the security of question papers. An implementation plan will be put in place as to how these new technologies can be phased in.