Gauteng barely escapes matric exams disaster
Introduction of new system and evacuation of buildings delay appointment of paper markers
The Gauteng education department barely avoided a matric exams disaster following delays in the appointment of paper markers due to the provincial government’s buildings crisis. Although the department has blamed the delays on a transition to an electronic system, employees told Business Day that days were lost when they were displaced following the evacuation of two buildings. The department moved about 800 employees out of two office blocks in central Johannesburg after the buildings failed health and safety inspections following the Bank of Lisbon fire in which three firefighters were killed in September. This week the department almost missed a Friday deadline to start marking papers for computer applications technology. The exam was written on October 15, when the final exams started for more than 150,000 pupils in the province. The exam directorate employees, who spoke to Business Day on condition of anonymity, said appointment letters to exam markers were sent only this week....
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