The matric exams are past the halfway mark but there has drama reported in the exam halls with some finding themselves in trouble with the law. "There was one learner who could not finish their paper as they were arrested inside the exam venue as a suspect in an armed robbery case," said Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube.

As if that was not enough, two imposters were arrested while trying to write matric exams for others. The minister revealed this today during a media briefing in Cape Town on the progress of final matric examinations. Gwarube did not give more details on where the imposters were arrested and if any steps were being taken against the learners they were allegedly attempting to write exams for. There was also no detail in the robbery suspect.

EXAMINATIONS PROGRESS

Today marks day twelve since the exams started last month and Gwarube said 58% of the exams have been written. "Today marks day 12 of the exams. Our systems are holding up well under the pressure. 104 of the 181 question papers have been written as of today, which represents 58% of exams. We are now over the halfway point. So far, the administration of this year's grade 12 exams has been progressing well," she said, adding that the department has taken measures to safeguard the integrity of the exams, ensuring that every learner receives a fair, consistent and supportive experience.

INCIDENTS 

Just like every other year, the exams are also marred with incidents that the department said have been dealt with. There were protest actions that were reported in Jan Kemdorp in the Northern Cape and Limpopo; however, with the help of SAPS, learners were escorted to the schools and were able to write. Though there were floods and storm disruptions in KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape, Gwarube said the department activated contingency plans and learners were able to write and complete their papers. "We also experienced power outages in some areas and backup generators were relied on for learners to complete their exam papers," she said. In other incidents, Gwarube also said cellphones and crib notes were found and confiscated from a few learners and they are being investigated.