KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga have recorded the highest number of exam cheating incidents in the 2024 National Senior Certificate examinations. This was revealed by quality assurance for education, Umalusi, during a press briefing today in Pretoria on the 2024 NSC matric examination results.
CHEATING DOESN'T PAY
Umalusi CEO Dr. Mafu Rakometsi Rakometsi confirmed that a total of 407 learners were found cheating in the 2024 NSC exams countrywide. "KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces had 195 and 74 candidates implicated, respectively," Rakometsi said. He added that they are deeply concerned that once again, the two provinces are at the top of the list of cheaters. "I want to state frantically that cheating does not pay. This finds support from the verdict that was delivered by the Mpumalanga High Court in August 2024, which found 448 learners from some schools in Mpumalanga guilty of cheating during their preliminary and final exams in 2022," he said. He said teachers and invigilators were suspended. However, Rakometsi said there's been an immense decrease in group copying cases compared to 945 cheating cases that were recorded in 2023 and only 407 in 2024.
UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT
Rakometsi also condemned an independent school that allowed learners who failed their grade 11 to write NSC exams. "I have received a report from the Department of Basic Education to the effect that an independent school allowed learners who did not pass grade 11 to register for grade 12 examinations. He emphasised that this is highly irregular and unacceptable. He added: "This is only one case, but it's one case too many. Umalusi is satisfied with the action taken to withdraw both the registration of these 30 candidates and the withdrawal of the register status of the school concerned. Meaning they'll no longer be allowed to run examinations." Umalusi has approved the 2024 matric results, confirming that load shedding and protests did not disrupt exams. However, it condemned educators who denied pupils access to write certain subjects.
