Question NW3169 to the Minister of Basic Education
02 November 2023 - NW3169
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What are the findings of the investigation that was conducted by her department into allegations of cheating in the National Senior Certificate examinations which involved 1 189 pupils from six provinces?
Reply:
Learners in these cases have been found guilty of engaging in irregular practices to obtain an unfair advantage during the writing of the examination and they have been sanctioned for a maximum period and are prohibited from writing the next three examinations. They will only be allowed to write the November 2024 examination, once the sanction period has expired.
The learners at these schools either colluded with each other or were supported by their teachers in obtaining answers to certain questions in the question paper while the examination was in progress. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in conjunction with the Provincial Education Department (PED), conducted an extensive investigation of all learners that were alleged to be implicated in this irregular practice and this included a detailed investigative analysis of the learner’s scripts. Based on the findings from the investigation, every implicated learner was given an opportunity to present their version of events to an independent presiding officer, in the presence of their parents/guardian or supported by a legal representative. The decision of the independent presiding officer was presented to the Provincial Examinations Irregularities Committee (PEIC), a committee appointed by the Head of Department to ensure that due process is followed in the management of all the irregularities. The recommendations from the PEIC were then reviewed by the National Examinations Irregularities Committee (NEIC), a committee established by the Minister to ensure fairness and uniformity in the handling of these irregularities across all the PEDs. The final decision relating to these candidates was presented to Umalusi, the Quality Assurance Council, for ratification.
It needs to be noted that candidates were found guilty in specific subjects, where there was evidence of wrongdoing. The results in those subjects were declared null and void and the candidates received the results of subjects that were not tarnished by any examination irregularity.