Education department to appeal exam leak ruling
The Basic Education Department will appeal the Thohoyandou High Court's ruling that the Limpopo Education Department ordering the release of the matric results of 172 school pupils implicated in a cheating scandal.
The department's Elijah Mhlanga says the department is disappointed in the judgement handed down at the Thohoyandou High Court on Saturday afternoon.
The Department of Basic Education and Limpopo Education Department now need to release the results of the implicated learners from New Era College in Malamulele.
"We are launching an appeal with immediate effect in the interest of protecting quality education and the integrity of our examination system. We are gravely concerned about court decisions which undermine our efforts to provide quality education to learners. The public can be assured that we do everything in our power and within the ambit of our constitution and laws to protect quality education and the integrity of our examination system," says Mhlanga.
Investigations into the leaked Maths 2 paper are still continuing.
Mhlanga says Umalusi instructed the department to withhold the results of learners at New Era College pending an investigation by the Hawks and the department's own internal processes.
The owner of the independently owned New Era College, Tinyiko Khosa, has been accused of leaking of the matric exam paper in Giyani.
Learners at his privately owned school then took the department and Umalusi to court demanding the release of their results.
"We are extremely disappointed because there's evidence indicating that there wrongdoing and a person was arrested in the matter. There's also evidence that shows learners had access to the examinations question paper before it was written. This judgment is compromising our examinations and as a results we will advise the province and Umalusi to appeal," says Mhlanga.