Angry matrics bombard Facebook
2007-11-05 08:50
Marius Louw and Carryn-Ann Nel
Cape Town - Furious matriculants at several top schools are planning a huge protest meeting at the Bellville cycle stadium to demand that education authorities consider an alternative to rewriting the English Literature exam.
This news spread like wildfire by means of the social networking site Facebook.
It was last week reported that 21 000 matriculants have to rewrite this exam.
This followed after the paper that was written on October 10, was by accident handed out to some candidates at the South African College Schools (Sacs) in Newlands the day before.
The Western Cape Education Department heard about it only afterward and the leak could not be contained. Several angry and insulting messages were published on Facebook and were aimed directly at the posh school.
Won't change anything
Matriculants mostly from the northern suburbs planned to attend the meeting at 13:00.
Brian Schreuder, deputy director general of curriculum management at the department, said on Sunday it was a pity that some matrics threatened mass action.
He added that such behaviour was not thought through and would not change the department's decision, which had been taken based on integrity.
"It was not an easy decision and was based on thorough consideration. All other options were investigated," he said.
"The reaction of some children is a matter of concern," said Schreuder.
Comments on Facebook indicated not only the learners' disappointment, but also their feelings towards Sacs.
One matriculant attending this college said more than 200 hate groups aimed against Sacs have been initiated on Facebook.
Matriculants apparently demanded the head of Kenneth Ball, Sacs's principal.
"The principal must see what his 'small negligence' had done to us and our parents who must pay for these mistakes."
Schreuder said the department's decision would be to the advantage of every 2007 matriculant. "Every school will help their learners to revise the question paper.
"The symbols they receive for English would be real."
Concerning the protest meeting, he said the time could have been better used preparing for the rest of the exam. "I don't want to sound heartless, but wasting precious time will not be to anybody's advantage."
Cost not exessive
He called on the parents of matriculants to provide support and leadership for their children.
The final cost for rewriting the exam has not yet been finalised. "It will not cost R250 000, as is speculated."
Schreuder said he believed printing, additional supervisors and other costs would not exceed R100 000. "The rewriting will not cost the learners anything."
He said the department had a miscellaneous fund for problems such as this.
Meanwhile, learners were also upset because their holiday plans and even holidays overseas had been disrupted.
"Every school received a circular - this year it was number 44 for 2007 - with the exam timetable which put it clearly that the academic year was not over once the final paper was written, but only when schools closed.
"Learners and their pupils are warned every year not to make holiday arrangements before the end of the school year - especially in view of unforeseen problems."
George Boinamo, DA spokesperson for education, said the department was falling apart.