Matric pupil run over by car following ‘exam paper leak’

A MATRIC pupil from George Campbell School of Technology in Durban is recovering after being run over by a vehicle last week when he allegedly tried to escape from a group of angry pupils.

The pupil, who cannot be named, was allegedly targeted because he had alerted a teacher that a forthcoming physical science exam paper had been seen by pupils in his class.

It is alleged that the exam paper was found by pupils when a teacher left some of them on his desk before stepping out of the classroom.

“The exam paper was on the teacher’s desk and someone got wind of it when he left the classroom. They began taking pictures and circulating the paper to others. An honest pupil, who saw what was happening, then informed the teacher of the situation,” said one pupil, who is in the same class as the injured boy.

He claimed that when school ended, some angry pupils chased a Grade 12 boy. The boy ran across the road and he was knocked down by a car.

He said the mob might have wrongly identified the injured boy as the one who had informed the teacher about the paper, said the pupil.

The injured boy’s mother confirmed that her son was recovering after spending a few days in hospital.

He had suffered injuries to his jaw and had scratches on parts of his body.

“The school has called to check up on him but the details surrounding the incident are still not clear.

“But friends who witnessed the incident also say it was (took place) because of the leaked paper,” said the mother.

The chairperson of the school governing body, Satish Mohun, confirmed the incident was under investigation, but said he had not heard about a teacher leaving the exam papers lying on a desk.

Department of Education spokesperson Sihle Mlotshwa had not responded to queries about the incident at the time of going to press. Auriel Ramsammy and her son Alonzo, 5, from Newlands East, meet Paddington Bear who dropped in at the Gateway Shopping Centre to promote his new DVD and book yesterday. Rajeshree Moodley from Ster Kinekor, who hosted the cartoon character, says it was an honour to host the fictional bear from children’s literature.