Staff Reporter
The 2020 matric examinations were not compromised by the leaking of the Mathematics Paper 2 and the Physical Science Paper, an investigation by the national Department of Basic Education has found.
Chairperson of the National Investigations Task Team (NITT) Hugh Amoore told a virtual media briefing that the integrity of the two exams was not compromised by the leaks because very few learners had access to the Maths paper while the Physical Science paper was replaced before the actual writing.
“Investigations have found that there’s been no compromise to the integrity of the 2020 matric exams,” said Amoore from his Eastern Cape base.
The exam papers are said to have been shared on a student WhatsApp group after being leaked by an employee of the Government Printing Works in Gauteng who has since been arrested and is out on bail.
The Maths Exam Paper 2 is said to have been sent to 236 learners in one study group by one of the students.
At least 14 candidates from the Free State were part of that study group.
Mpumalanga had the highest number of implicated learners at 46 while Limpopo had 37, the Eastern Cape 33, Gauteng 27, KwaZulu-Natal 25, the Northern Cape 19, the Western Cape 18 and the North West 17.
The NITT chair said the performance of most of the learners in the exam did not seem too different from their normal standard except for about two candidates.
He did not specify the provinces in which they are based.
“No evidence could be found to suggest that these candidates benefited from prior access to the question paper or sub-questions.
“The ‘suspect’ candidates received different marks per question. No evidence could be found to suggest that they colluded,” he pointed out.
Amoore said the full extent of the leaks cannot be ascertained but investigations have shown that a widespread leak did not occur.
“We can’t claim we have uncovered every WhatsApp group, but it seems we have done so,” he explained.
The leaked Physical Science paper was not shared among Free State learners, according to the investigation.
“Neither investigative marking nor the statistical analysis on their own would be conclusive, but taken together and added to what we have to date from cellphone records and interviews, the absence of unusual patterns suggests strongly that widespread leaks did not occur,” the investigation concluded.
According to the country’s laws, if an exam candidate is found to have had prior access to an exam paper and performs better than usual, authorities may decide to withhold their certificate or withdraw it if found guilty.
Umalusi, the country’s quality assurance body for general and further education and training, is expected to make an announcement on the fate of the 236 learners.