THE results for the Class of 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations will soon be released to the candidates following the green light by the Council of Quality Assurance in General and Further Education, better known as Umalusi.

Over one million candidates, part-time and full-time, sat for the exams in over 9500 exam centres across the country. Umalusi CEO, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, said the council was satisfied with “the conduct, administration and management” of the NSC examinations for the Class of 2024. This was reiterated by the chairperson of the Umalusi Council, Professor Yunus Ballim, who said, “The executive committee (EXCO) concluded that the examinations were administered largely in accordance with the regulations pertaining to the conduct, administration, and management of the National Senior Certificate examinations.”

He said, “There were no systemic irregularities reported that might have compromised the overall credibility and integrity of the November 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations administered by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). EXCO of council approves the release of the DBE November 2024 National Senior Certificate examination results.”

Also Read: Security measures in place to ensure safe matric exams

Umalusi, however, raised various concerns with unregistered candidates and institutions sitting for the NSC exams. Rakometsi said the council was also concerned with the persistence of teachers and principals refusing to allow registered learners to write examinations in particular subjects.

“Anecdotally, this practice is motivated by the desire to improve results. This is unlawful and Umalusi advises the affected learners and parents or guardians to report such incidents to the relevant authorities,” said Rakometsi.

The council also raised concern with detected cases of malpractice or cheating during the writing of the examinations. KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring Mpumalanga Province were among the top three implicated in cheating.

“Almost 365 N2-N3 candidates in the private college sector are reported to have been involved in acts of copying. In the case of the NSC, while there has been a reduction in the number of reported cases of group copying in the DBE – the number decreased from 945 in 2023 to 407 in 2024 – Umalusi remains seriously concerned that KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga are once again at the top of the list with 195 and 74 implicated candidates respectively. I want to state emphatically that cheating does not pay,” said Rakometsi.

Independent Examinations Board (IEB) candidates will get their results by this evening while the rest of the cohort will have them in hand by tomorrow, January 14.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here