Cheating students to face DC
Wits students caught with assessment and test answers
A NUMBER of Wits University students are set to appear before the institution’s disciplinary committee after they were caught circulating online assessment and test answers in a WhatsApp group chat.
In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, higher learning institutions in the country have migrated to online learning in a bid to salvage what might be left of the 2020 academic calendar.
Universities and colleges have rolled out laptops and data, enabling students to continue learning from their homes.
Wits second year students in FINE 2000 took advantage of the homebased learning system by sharing answers during their online test on May 6.
A student belonging to the group spoke anonymously and confirmed that answers were shared in the group during the test.
“I don’t check messages in the group regularly because I only saw after writing my test that answers were shared in the group,” she said.
The student said the group has over 100 students who could have benefited from this. The university has since invalidated the test and rescheduled another date with additional security measures.
It is alleged that first year International Relations students in INTR 1012 were also implicated in a similar situation after they were caught cheating in an online test written on May 12 and online assignment on May 15.
According to Wits senior director for academic affairs Professor Diane Grayson, the university obtained evidence of cheating using a WhatsApp class group from student testimonials.
However, Grayson would not reveal the number of students who were caught cheating.
“All matters which are referred to the University’s Legal Office are handled in accordance with the university’s rules, policies and procedures. Please note that, in general, disciplinary processes relating to staff and students of the university are treated as confidential,” she said.
Grayson said the university will put new rules in place for students during this online learning period where students will be expected to sign an honour pledge in which they expressly state that the work they submit is their own and that they will not cheat or collude with others in any way that could be deemed unethical.
Some of the new measures the university will introduce include randomising questions selected automatically from a question pool, shuffling question order, requiring some assignments to be handwritten and then photographed and ensuring that students complete an assessment in one, timed sitting. Spot checks in the form of oral tests via online meeting tools may also be conducted.
Wits SRC president Thuto Gabaphethe said they had warned the university of such incidents. “Now the degrees that the university produces will come under the spotlight.”
Gabaphethe strongly condemned cheating, but said the SRC was willing to protect students facing disciplinary action on the basis they provide solid information for their acts.
“Let us understand that this is a difficult time for students and if they are able to substantiate why they did it we will understand. Maybe they were overwhelmed with assessments or tests because the university had promised to reduce the number of tests,” he said.
Higher Education spokesperson Ismael Mnisi would not comment on the matter, indicating that Minister Blade Nzimande would give a directive through his briefing scheduled for today.