Department of Basic Education launches investigation after detecting irregularities
11 Aug 2014
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has launched a full investigation into the examinations conducted for adult candidates in the KwaZulu-Natal province. This was prompted by examination irregularities that were detected jointly by the DBE and KwaZulu-Natal Education department and confirmed by the Quality Assurance Council, Umalusi.
The Senior Certificate examination, commonly referred to as the "Old Matric", was offered to adult candidates since 2008, when the National Senior Certificate (NSC), based on the National Curriculum Statement was introduced. This was an examination specifically designed to accommodate adult learners who, left school without completing their matric. This implies they either had partial credits to the Matric or no credits at all. The intention of the department was to terminate this examination in 2011, but due to learner demand this examination has been extended until 2014.
At the commencement of the examination on 5 May 2014, reports were received from the province highlighting incidents of examination irregularities. These referred, in the main, to support being provided to candidates during the writing of the examination. In response to these reports, the Provincial Education Department (PED) together with the DBE deployed additional officials to reinforce the monitoring at these centres.
In a number of cases provincial officials took over the management of the examinations at centres where there were indications of any malpractice, and in other cases resident monitors were deployed to these examination centres. In response to these initiatives there was a substantial decrease in the reports of irregularities from the province.