Matrics will know on Friday whether they have to rewrite exams

The North Gauteng High Court will issue a ruling on Friday, on various applicants’ bid to stop the planned rewrite of the Matric Maths Paper 2 and Physic Science Paper 2, after the papers were leaked earlier this month.

ALSO READ: “Motshekga doesn’t care about matrics’ court hears in matric rewrite case

Organisations including teachers union SADTU and civil rights group Afriforum argued that the rewrite was unfair and unconstitutional.

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga was accused of allowing exam quality assurance board Umalusi to make the ultimate decision on the rewrite without considering the well-being of the thousands of matric pupils who did not take part in or see the leaked paper, believed to have been seen by just under 200 people.

Afriforum argued that the department’s own regulations provided that if any irregularity did not result from the actions of the candidate sitting for the exam and if the candidate did not gain any benefit from it, the examination answer paper had to be marked and the result made known.

In papers, Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke argued that Motshekga made the decision to have the exam rewritten based on pressure from Umalusi, despite overwhelming consensus from other stakeholders saying that this was unnecessary. She also did not support her decision using any legislation, Mugwena added.

Afriforum believes there were other ways and means to determine whether  learners did indeed gain unfair benefit from the leaked question papers and that the department should focus on such investigations rather than disadvantaging other learners.

According to the body, research had shown that learners’ marks in final examinations could be determined with 93% accuracy by studying their preceding marks.

Judge Norman Davis undertook to rule on the matter this Friday before 2 p.m.

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