THREAT TO IEB EXAMS
Shock as Umalusi, the body issuing matric certificates, cuts ties with the Independent Examinations Board.
The 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results will be announced on Tuesday, but those guilty of dishonesty might have their results blocked by the department of basic education.
Professor John Volmink of the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) – the body responsible for the production and issuing of matric certificates – briefed the media yesterday morning ahead of the release of the 2019 matric results.
Volmink said that last year, there were no “incidents of paper leakages or group copying”. There were, however, incidents of “dishonesty” which would mean the results of these matriculants would be blocked.
According to Volmink, the council has approved the release of the results, but the department of basic education (DBE) must block the results of the matriculants implicated in dishonesty, as well as any results from unregistered centres.
Volmink called the DBE’s NSC the “flagship of qualifications” in South Africa and stressed the importance of the department, parents and potential employers having confidence that quality had been maintained.
Also speaking at the briefing, Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi clarified that the council was allowed to adjust raw marks.
“We apply the same criteria in appraising quality of all assessment bodies,” he said.
It was revealed that no adjustments were made in 70% of matric subjects, with the marks for subjects including mathematics, maths literature, isiZulu, accounting and economics among those that were “left raw”.
Rakometsi said that no system irregularities or paper leakages were recorded surrounding the 2019 exams.
Minister of Education Angie Motshekga will host a gala breakfast on Tuesday, where the country’s top-performing matriculants will be revealed.