Matric exams: No reports of major disruptions in Gauteng
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says she receives a daily report on how matric exams are progressing and so far, all has gone according to plan.
Motshekga was at the Rhodesfield School of Specialisation in Ekurhuleni, where she wished pupils well as they sat to write their first written National Senior Certificate on Monday.
Nearly 200,000 Gauteng candidates will write their final exams under strict conditions.
READ: Matric class of 2023 sign exam pledge
As he prepared to enter the school hall where some of his peers had already been searched and escourted to their seats, Lindokuhle Mahlangu says it’s been a tough buildup to this day, but he’s ready.
“It’s bitterly cold and we are writing in a cold venue. It’s been a challenge with load shedding, having to set your schedule to study and balance everything out.”
Eskom’s implemented stage 2 and 3 power cuts since Sunday, but Motshekga’s reiterated that the necessary contingency measures are in place to mitigate against the planned power cuts.
Motshekga says though she doesn’t expect the exam period to be completely incident-free, there have been no major disruptions or irregularities reported.
“From the principal’s briefing at this school, nothing seems to have been a difficulty. But what we do as a system – daily we get reports if there are learners who came without IDs and learners who came for the wrong paper…So, there will be those technicalities that we’ll have to deal with on a daily basis.”
The minister stressed that additional security measures have been put in place to minimize the risk of leaks and cheating, and this includes using the services of the State Security Agency to audit their systems and vet officials.
READ MORE: Basic Education boosts security as it seeks to curb matric exam leaks
“The last time we had a leak was in 2020 and it happened here in Gauteng at the warehouse, where one of the people printing working for the printing house leaked the paper. That’s why we brought state security for vetting. Last year’s problem in Mpumalanga was just mischief by an educator.”
Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane confirmed he had not received reports of any “glitches” on the first day of exams.
“The learners are ready; we’ve prepared them well. I am confident that they’ll do very well."
The class of 2023 is made up of nearly a million pupils across the country.
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