Following the announcement of the matric exam results and the recent statement by examination quality watchdog, Umalusi that 39 examination centres in KwaZulu-Natal are being investigated for mass cheating, the IFP calls on MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and her Department to take full responsibility for bringing shame to KwaZulu-Natal.
"For Umalusi to take such a drastic step in withholding results, it must have strong evidence against those 39 examination centres. It is unfortunate that those children's lives will now have to be put on hold because educators and exam monitors are alleged to be complicit in mass cheating. Educators will only resort to such devious behaviour if they have not been doing their jobs during the course of the year. The Department of Education must investigate which educators were in those exam rooms and which monitors were deployed to those exam centres and they must be fired. There is no place for such cheats who bring education in our country into disrepute and demoralise our children. Those monitors must not be paid and they must be charged for being complicit and/or negligent", said IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, Mr Blessed Gwala.
"The IFP is deeply concerned that in August 2014 the Department of Basic Education had found evidence of cheating in the adult matric exams and it did nothing to prevent such a repetition. What has become of those invigilators? We have not heard of any action being taken against those responsible. The credibility of the 2014 matric exams is at stake and this is embarrassing. If no drastic action is taken against those responsible, then the Department of Education will be saying to the nation that it sanctions mass cheating. There are also reports that at one school in Msinga learners were offered matric certificates after paying R4000 and this must be fully investigated. In spite of all these setbacks, we want to compliment schools such as Velangaye Comtech in Nkandla and Mathunjwa High in Nongoma for their excellent performance even though they are situated in the deep rural areas of our province", concluded Mr Gwala.
The IFP congratulates all learners who passed and wishes them well for the future and commends Umalusi for its professional oversight in protecting the integrity of the matric examinations. Those learners who did not pass should not despair and must explore the various other options that are still available to them.
Issued by: IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, Mr Blessed Gwala, 078 290 5842
For Media Enquiries:
Mr Phendulani Biyase, IFP KZN Legislature Media Officer, 073 024 5675
