Panel to figure out how unsolvable question slipped into matric maths paper

Exams quality assurer Umalusi has appointed a three-member panel to probe what led to the inclusion of a “problematic” question in the matric mathematics paper 2.

There was a huge uproar from pupils and teachers after the writing of the paper on November 7 when they discovered that a seven-mark question in trigonometry is “unsolvable”. Basic education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said at the time that the suspected error was reported countrywide after the paper had been written.

Umalusi spokesperson Biki Lepota said in a statement on Monday that the panel has been specifically tasked to investigate how the error crept in and why it was not detected by the examiners and internal and external moderators ahead of printing.

“In other words, the focus is on the entire value chain: all the processes that the question paper was subjected to during the stages of its development, quality assurance and printing.”

The committee will be chaired by Penny Vinjevold, a former provincial head of education. The other members are Sudan Hansraj and Nic Heideman. Hansraj is a professor of maths and applied maths in the astrophysics research centre at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, while Heideman is a contract lecturer in the University of Cape Town’s maths department.

Lepota said the panel has the mandate to fully investigate the matter and submit its final report to Umalusi. It will be shared publicly on January 16 during the media briefing on the approval of the release of the 2022 examination results of the different assessment bodies.

Umalusi CEO Mafu Rakometsi said: “The investigation will in no way delay the release of the NSC [National Senior Certificate] results. Umalusi wants to reassure the public that it will do everything humanly possible to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged by the error in Question 5.1.”

Meanwhile, Western Cape education MEC David Maynier said initial indications suggest that the disruptions to the matric exams after a strike by the SA National Taxi Association (Santaco) were not widespread.

Two buses were burnt out and the hijacking of a third was thwarted by law enforcement officers. Santaco embarked on the protest in response to the suspension of the city’s Blue Dot Taxi initiative — which rewards good behaviour and passenger service — due to a lack of funding.

Pupils wrote life sciences paper 2 and electrical technology. Maynier said some candidates wrote at centres where they were not registered after being assisted by staff. Those pupils who are unable to write at their designated exam venue should go to the nearest high school with their ID book and exam admission letter, he said.

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