KZN and Mpumalanga once again top the list of cheating cases, Umalusi revealed during a media briefing yesterday.

The Witness reports that according to Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi, reported cheating cases decreased from 945 in 2023 to 407 last year. However, the two provinces retained their titles as the regions with the highest numbers of reported incidents, with 195 and 74 candidates, respectively, raising concerns.

“Umalusi remains concerned that KZN and Mpumalanga are once again at the top of the list,” said Rakometsi.

He highlighted that 365 N2 to N3 candidates in private colleges were also implicated in cheating.

Further issues arose around malpractice by teachers and principals allegedly preventing candidates from registering for specific subjects to improve results.

“This is unlawful. Parents and pupils must report these incidents,” Rakometsi urged.

An independent private school allowed 30 pupils who failed Grade 11 to register for Grade 12 exams. As a result, the school’s and candidates’ registrations were withdrawn, and it will no longer administer examinations.

Additionally, 128 private colleges are under investigation by the Department of Higher Education and Training for administering N2 to N3 exams without Umalusi accreditation.

Umalusi raised concerns about shortages of markers for history, English home language paper three, and Afrikaans first additional language. Rakometsi confirmed these issues were resolved, adding that load-shedding, adverse weather, and protests did not significantly affect the exams.

Requests for marking concessions increased from 17 subjects in 2023 to 19 in 2024, prompting Umalusi to call on exam bodies to investigate the matter.

Umalusi reported no paper leakages or irregularities compromising the credibility of the 2024 matric exams. Out of 880 209 registered candidates, 810 900 wrote the National Senior Certificate exams, with 69 309 candidates absent.