Afriforum, Sadtu challenge matric exam rewrite in court

Afriforum and the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) Afriforum’s legal bid to challenge the Department of Basic Education’s decision to order a rewrite of two matric papers, is set to be heard on Thursday, 10 December 2020 in the High court in Pretoria.

Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Friday, 4 December 2020, that the second papers for Mathematics and Physical Sciences would be re-written on the 15th and 17th December respectively. This is after the question papers were leaked in parts of the country.

There has been much opposition to the move and many have lashed out at the department, saying the extent of the leak does not warrant a rewrite. The department has maintained that the move is necessary as it protects the integrity, credibility and validity of the exams.

The lobby group, which is representing four matric pupils in the matter, claims the decision is unfair and disadvantages learners who honesty prepared for and wrote the exam.

“We cannot allow Motshekga and her department to disadvantage learners who have worked hard throughout their entire school career – and this because the department’s systems were inadequate in the first place to prevent question papers being leaked. There are other, better ways to ensure the integrity of the exam,” Afriforum’s Natasha Venter said.

Sadtu: Matrics have had a traumatic year, can’t rewrite

While the teachers’ union has labelled the move as irrational, citing the emotional and mental capacity of learners who have already had to write examinations under unique circumstances.

“We’re doing this because we believe that the learners have gone through a very traumatic year and therefore the investigation is inconclusive and taking a decision by Umalusi as a quality insurer, based on inconclusive evidence from the investigation is very problematic,” said Sadtu’s Mugwena Maluleke in an interview with eNCA.

The examination papers were leaked just a week apart. The department subsequently sprung into action, roping in the Hawks to investigate. The minister confirmed that authorities had made a breakthrough, arresting one person in connection with the paper leak.

The 31 year-old man Themba Daniel Shikwambana, works for a Johannesburg-based company contracted by the education department to print matric exam papers. Shikwambana has been released on bail and is expected back in the dock in January 2021, just a month before the matric results are announced.