Matric exam leaks: dept ready
2009-10-22 22:22
Johannesburg - Necessary steps are taken to ensure the integrity of matric examinations, the department of basic education said on Thursday, after some of this year's exam papers were leaked in Mpumalanga.
"Backups are prepared for every scheduled paper as part of the department's examinations management plan.
"A leaked paper does thus not compromise the integrity of the examinations," said spokesperson Granville Whittle.
Three people, two pupils and a teacher, were arrested in Mbombela on Wednesday after they were found in possession of Mathematics papers 1 and 2, Physical Science papers 1 and 2 and an Accounting paper.
Police spokesperson Leonard Hlathi said the three were charged with breaching the Control Access Information Act of 2000.
Unsettling for pupils
The matric exams start on October 26.
"It is extremely disappointing that an individual - or individuals - could be so driven by greed that they were prepared to leak examination papers," the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa said in a statement.
Its president, Ezrah Ramasehla, said the credibility and integrity of the examination was a critical consideration for every pupil in Grade 12.
"Conditions must be created in which they are able to perform at their best. The news of papers being leaked is unsettling to them," said Ramasehla.
"It is difficult to comprehend the complete selfishness of a person who is prepared to be corrupted without any thought of the consequences."
- SAPA