It has come to the attention of the Gauteng Department of Education that there was a potential breach of matric exam security at a high school in Soweto last week Friday. The potential breach occurred when an invigilator opened a specially enlarged physical science examination paper that had been specially requested for a partially-sighted candidate. The invigilator saw that the individually-packed partially-sighted learner’s paper was physical science paper; instead of physical science paper one that all the other learners were writing.
The invigilator sealed the paper and personally returned it to the Gauteng distribution centre. On the basis of the facts before us, there is nothing to suggest that the contents of the physical science paper two were seen by any learner at the school. All candidates, including the partially-sighted candidate, continued to write the physical science paper one with no further problems. All candidates also wrote the physical science paper two on Monday.
To protect the integrity of the matric examination, the department has:
* Quarantined the scripts for physical science papers one and two for the concerned school for further investigation
* Appointed a provincial official to act as a chief invigilator at the school to further strengthen the matric examinations process.
The department is satisfied that this was an individual, isolated incident which does not affect the integrity of the science question papers as a whole. However, to maintain public confidence in the matric examination process and to prevent future occurrences of such incidents, we have tasked Ramathe Fivaz forensic and investigative accounting services to conduct a detailed investigation. Their brief is to ascertain how this incident arose and what steps, if any, need to be taken to further protect the integrity of the matric examinations. The forensic company is contracted to the Gauteng Department of Education as external investigators of irregularities arising from the matric examinations.
The Department of Basic Education is aware of the incident and is satisfied with the steps that the Gauteng Department of Education has taken to deal with the matter and the integrity of the examinations.
For more information contact:
Charles Phahlane
Tel: 011 355 1530
Cell: 071 860 4496
Issued by: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government
18 November 2009
