Off the wire
• 1st LD Writethru: Death toll in Indian-controlled Kashmir vehicular collision rises to 7  • Schalke to sign Manchester City's Matija Nastasic on loan  • S. Africa warns Rwanda rebel group of consequences for failing to disarm  • News analysis: South Africa's power problems to persist in short term: experts  • News Analysis: What spectre of Berlusconi says about Italian democracy  • China capitalizes on Beijing 2022 to speed up environmental improvement  • Bangladesh appoints new chief justice  • Kenyan capital to audit unsafe residential buildings  • Cambodian PM hails China for initiatives on AIIB, Silk Road Fund  • No new Ebola case for 44 days in Sierra Leone district  
You are here: 　 Home

Mass cheating in S. African exams prompts investigation

Xinhua, January 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

An investigation into irregularities involving mass cheating in the 2014 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination is underway, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Monday.

The investigation started when the department and the quality assurance council Umalusi picked up possible group cheating in some examination centers in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces.

More than 5,300 candidates from all provinces are currently being investigated for various alleged irregularities including mass copying arising from the 2014 Grade 12 final examinations.

The mass cheating shocked the nation. Last week, President Jacob Zuma voiced concern and ordered an investigation.

"The allegations must be investigated thoroughly so that we do not experience a recurrence," Zuma said.

A team comprising of the DBE, Umalusi representatives and provincial education department officials in the affected provinces completed the first phase of the investigation last week.

In the second phase which started on Monday, the team will conduct hearings starting with Chief Invigilators and Invigilators, and then the affected matriculants will also appear before the committee to tell their side of the story, DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said.

Umalusi will monitor the entire process while teacher unions will observe the hearings.

Between January 23 and January 26, the Provincial Examination and Assessment Irregularities Comittee will submit their recommendations to the National Examination and Assessment Irregularities Committee.

The final outcome of the investigation will be announced and the results of the candidates whose cases have been cleared will be released. Letters of sanction for candidates found guilty of involvement will then be released, Mhlanga said.

"We want to conclude the process as soon as possible to allow those learners who are cleared of wrongdoing to continue with their lives and take advantage of opportunities available to them, and to institute the appropriate sanctions against those who are confirmed of wrongdoing," said Mhlanga. Endi