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South African parents and tuition students have been outraged after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that the second math test would be rewritten on Tuesday December 15, 2020 at 2pm and the physical science test it would be rewritten on Thursday, December 17, 2020. at 9 am.
This after three 2020 license plate exams were leaked and one person was arrested in connection with the leaks.
The decision was made by the department after consulting with the Council of Ministers of Education (CEM) and key stakeholders such as the governing bodies of schools, associations of school principals, teachers’ unions and the guarantee agency. quality, Umalusi.
However, news reports on Saturday indicated that the unions were also furious at the decision.
On social media after the announcement was made, both parents and students lamented how the decision affects their lives and plans.
This included having to cancel or modify enrollment and family vacations leading up to the holiday season.
99.98% of 2020 matrices are paying the price for the carelessness of government officials we are supposed to trust in our final exams. DBE, do better to secure your papers, don’t make the school kids suffer. shocking. @ News24 @DBE_SA #MatricExams #matricrewrite https://t.co/0JNIFgykMS
– kirsten stabrey (@k_stabrey) December 5, 2020
I feel so bad for the tuition class of 2020. This must have been a really difficult year for all of those who are lacking in resources and were unable to properly participate in online learning.
Good luck to them in their rewriting of the math 2 and physical science test.
– Noxolo Madonsela (@Noxxcee) December 5, 2020
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According to Motshekga, test two in math and tests in physical science were allegedly leaked through a WhatsApp group shortly before the students sat down to write the tests.
This year’s business studies document was also leaked, however the department was able to step in and change the content of the document as it was replaced by a backup version.
Because the department did not have time to resolve the problems caused by the leak of the first two papers, they were unable to supplement the exams with their supporting versions, so they had to be rewritten.
4 STAGES OF DBE ADJUSTING THE 2020 MATRICES:
– told us (April) that the papers have already been established, but add Covid
– expect most of them to teach themselves the syllabus
– inability to secure NSC papers
– national rewrite for math and physics P2 #MatricExams #matricrewrite– Caitlyn de Mink (@caitlyn_demink) December 4, 2020
Why did the department decide to schedule a rewrite?
Speaking after Motshekga, chief director of national assessment and public examinations in the Department of Basic Education, Rufus Poliah explained the considerations that were made before the department came to the decision they made.
“My job is difficult and I suppose it is even more difficult for the minister in terms of the decision to be made regarding the credibility of the exam,” said Poliah.
Poliah further explained that the National Senior Certificate (NSC) currency is of the utmost importance to the department and therefore they cannot afford to be affected by an unfair advantage given to a small group of students through of something like a leak. examination paper.
“Therefore, prior access to a questionnaire is indeed a serious problem and all of our efforts are directed towards making sure that when a slimmer sits in an exam room, they are evaluated / examined in a questionnaire that they have not had access and one that reflects their achievements and efforts throughout, not only the year, but throughout the 12 years of teaching and learning.
The best option available
He then outlined what he calls three key components that are critically important to the department with regards to exam security and administration;
- The custody of the exam at any cost,
- The way the test is administered and
- Compliance with the marking and result of the rules promulgated in the regulations established by Umalusi.
“When it was established that these two question papers, along with the business studies, had been leaked, we were able to save and restore the credibility of the business studies document.”
“The first step of the basic education department was to establish the dissemination of the questionnaire. Now, the dissemination of the questionnaire will determine the scope of the commitment, but you and I will agree that since we are in the 21st century where electronic media have become the main mode of communication and you and I are fully aware that Electronic transmissions have no borders, provincial borders, national borders, so what we say is that what is on social networks literally spreads like wildfire. “
It added that this specific set of circumstances presented a challenge in its investigations into the extent of the leak.
“There were at least 195 students that we established had access to the math test,” Poliah confirmed before adding that they could not determine to what extent those 195 would have shared the questionnaire with others.
He noted the narrow window in which students have to prepare for rewriting, but added that the department did the best it could in the time it had.
Of the three options before them in an effort to remedy the situation caused by the leaks, rewriting seemed the best option for the department.
His other options included treating the subjects on a case-by-case basis, since the physical science test had not been as extensive as the math test; this would also have meant a selected rewrite for science and a national rewrite for math. like no rewriting at all, an option that could have put the responsibility on the department to act against the individual students who would have cheated.
“A national rewrite is by far the most acceptable option because there can never be a lingering doubt in the mind of any member of the public that this question paper would have been compromised if it had been rewritten.”
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