The Department of Basic Education is disappointed at the judgement handed down on Saturday afternoon at the Thohoyandou High Court, Limpopo.
The effects of the judgment are that DBE and Limpopo Education department are forced to release the results of the implicated learners from New Era College in Malamulele.
We are launching an appeal with immediate effect in the interest of protecting quality education and the integrity of our examination system. We are gravely concerned about court decisions which undermine our efforts to provide quality education to learners. The public can be assured that we do every thing in our power and within the ambit of our constitution and laws to protect quality education and the integrity of our examination system.
Umalusi instructed the department to withhold the results of learners at New Era College pending an investigation by The Hawks and the department's own internal processes. New Era is an independent school owned by Tinyiko Elphas Khosa, the accused in the matter involving the leaking of Maths Paper 2 in Giyani. Learners at his privately owned school took the department and Umalusi to court demanding the release of their results.
We are extremely disappointed because there's evidence indicating that there wrong doing and a person was arrested on the matter. There's also evidence that shows learners had access to the examinations question paper before it was written.
This judgment is compromising our examinations and as a results we will advice the province and Umalusi to appeal.
The judgement has a potential of sending the wrong message that you can cheat the exams and then go to court to force the department to hand over your results even though you might be guilty.
We appreciate the work done by The Hawks thus far and we are confident that their investigation will help us root out the corruption that has a risk of tarnishing the credibility of the examination.
It must be clear that those who cheat in examinations will be dealt with harshly. The department will explore all possibilities to protect the integrity, image and profile of the National Senior Certificate.
The department and its stakeholders will also review the policies and regulations that govern the management of irregularities in order to strengthen the examinations system.
Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Cell: 083 580 8275
Troy Martens
Cell: 079 899 3070 or 062 788 3733
