Service delivery protests threaten matric exams, warns department

The basic education department has expressed concern after service delivery protests in Gauteng prevented matric pupils writing their final year exams. 

At least 53 matric pupils in Etwatwa were prevented from sitting for their final exams last week due to protests.

The department’s director-general, Mathanzima Mweli, said service delivery protests are the biggest threat to matric exams.

During a media briefing, Mweli pleaded with communities, civil society and other stakeholders not to prevent pupils from getting to their examinations, saying they have endured enough trauma. 

“We appeal to community members to allow the examinations to proceed. The repercussions for not doing so are devastating to pupils and the communities themselves as it is the children of the same communities who suffer the consequences,” Mweli said.

He made an appeal to the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and called for workers to recognise the importance of exams.

“We want to make an appeal that pupils shouldn’t be prevented from writing exams for any reason whatsoever. An appeal to broader civil society, different formations in our society and Sanco in particular, as the leading formation when it comes to broader civil society,” he said.

Mweli said pupils who missed their exams will rewrite the missed papers in May or June 2023.

“In the case where pupils are not able to write the examination, it means they will only rewrite the missed papers in May/June next year. That is not fair on pupils who have already endured a lot as a result of Covid-19, among other challenges.”

Mweli emphasised that no pupils should be prevented from writing exams on the grounds of pregnancy or outstanding school fees.

Load-shedding

Last week, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) expressed concern about the effect load-shedding has on matric exams, saying pupils who arrive late for exams due to blackouts must be accommodated.

“We continue to be concerned about blackouts that will negatively impact pupils throughout the process of writing. Any disturbance during revision causes anxiety,” Sadtu said.

“Blackouts cause delays in travelling and students may find themselves arriving at examination centres emotionally disturbed. The candidates writing and their teachers will carry levels of anxiety through the examination period because they have not rested as they needed to cover three years of work.

“We commend teachers and pupils for being innovative in the face of this challenge.”

‘Great lengths to ensure exams run smoothly’

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga said the department is committed to ensuring exams run smoothly for the class of 2022.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure the exams happen without any irregularities. All pupils for the national certificates have signed commitments to maintain honesty and not participate in irregularities during exams,” she said.

“We are fully prepared to administer the exams of 2022. We have a great challenge on our hands but we are ready.”

The department said pupils who wrote the computer applications technology (CAT) and information technology (IT) exams and fell victim to load-shedding would have another opportunity to complete the exams in December. 

“In the unlikely event load-shedding affects the writing of CAT and IT, the department of basic education has a rewrite paper scheduled for December 7. Rewrites for CAT and IT are planned for every examination, given computer glitches could cause candidates [to not] complete their examinations,” said the department.

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