Testing time for department

THEKwaZulu-Natal Education Department has disputed reports that the start of the Annual National Assessment at schools on Tuesday was “chaotic”.

While spokesman Muzi Mahlambi conceded there had been shortages of papers “here and there” that led to tests being written a “little” later than expected, he said these were minor hiccups.

The department was responding to a statement in which IFP MP Alfred Mpontshane expressed concern about the “mass confusion” and “crisis” on Tuesday as teachers were sent from pillar to post to collect papers.

Mahlambi said the question papers had been delivered to central points in all 12 districts two weeks ago.

“The possibility of papers being delivered late is out of the question,” he said, adding that it was possible that principals had arrived late to collect these.

Mahlambi said that he and Edward Mosuwe, the deputy director-general in charge of curriculum, had visited schools in the Ilembe district to monitor the process at various stages.

Six thousand subject advisors had been dispatched across all 12 education districts in KwaZulu-Natal to do the same, he said.

A brief overview, compiled by the department, revealed:

Pupils at Okhombe Primary in Othukela district did not write the test, because of their trauma over a taxi accident in which 10 children were killed on Saturday.

In the Ugu district, a special needs school received the incorrect question papers, packed by the national Department of Basic Education.

Ten Grade 1 pupils from Umkhanyakude district could not cross a river, and so were unable to write the assessment papers.

In all other districts, the department said it was able to resolve shortages promptly.

The tests are for Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9. Not all schools and grades write the tests on the same day.