The Ministry of Basic Education, in consultation with the Premier and MEC for Education, sanctioned an investigation after the alleged leaks of examination papers in Mpumalanga province.
The team received the report (attached) this week and based on the report resolved as follows:
* Accept the need to defend the integrity and standing of examination process and therefore agree to immediately re-establish the examination structures in the Mpumalanga Education Department.
* Request the special investigation unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Hawks, to immediately take over the investigation of the reported irregularities and we thus call upon all people that have additional information to make available to authorities for investigation.
* The Department of Basic Education is pleased to announce that today, Monday, 4 January 2010, Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, has approved the release of the 2009 National Senior Certificate examination results for the following provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape, North West and Western Cape. South African Certification Council (Umalusi) has taken the decision not to release the results for Mpumalanga until further notice.
* While we are disappointed in the decision to delay the release of the Mpumalanga results we fully support Umalusi in discharging its mandate to ensure the credibility of the examination.
* The Minister will tomorrow meet with Umalusi to ensure that learners are not prejudiced by this unfortunate delay. Our empathy lies with learners who have worked extremely hard and look forward to their results.
Issued by: Department of Basic Education
4 January 2010
Source: Department of Basic Education (http://www.education.gov.za/)
