So far so good for EC Grade 12 final exams

THE department of education said the final Grade 12 exams have been smooth sailing so far, despite a few challenges recorded, mostly in the former Transkei region.

Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said this week there had been some problems with late arrival at exam centres due to the bad state of roads in some areas.

A protest by pupils at a school in Alice also contributed to the minor challenges the education department had faced.

Mtima said the department had faced a few challenges with the recent heavy rains, which affected a few schools in the former Transkei area.

At some schools, question papers arrived a few minutes late because of the bad conditions of the roads.

Mtima said papers were meant to arrive at schools 15 minutes before the exam starts but at some schools the scripts arrived exactly at the time the exam was meant to begin.

“The examinations have been going very smoothly, with just a few time-related challenges.

“There have been no reports of shortages of papers, cheating or serious problems. These few challenges have taught us a lot as the department, especially when it comes to protests.”

Having zero reports of cheating so far is a welcome development for the province after a few scandals in recent years. At some schools, matric results were withheld because of group cheating.

The curtain will come down on the matric exams on November 28 when pupils write their last paper.

Education bosses have said they are hopeful that this year the province will for the first time in years not be at the bottom of the country’s matric class when Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga releases the results in January.