File image. Picture Ian Landsberg/African News Agency (ANA).
THE SOUTH African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the Northern Cape indicated that it is unfair that all Grade 12 mathematics and physical Science learners have to rewrite their examination.
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga announced that Grade 12 learners will rewrite their mathematics and physical science papers after the two papers were leaked last month.
Motshekga said that the two papers will be written on December 15 and December 17, 2020 respectively.
The decision was received with mixed emotions where some welcomed the decision and others felt that it was unfair as to those who may have had no access to the papers.
The provincial chairperson of Sadtu, Senzo Mphalala said it was not fair that even provinces who were not involved in the saga were also being punished.
“As much as we respect the minister’s decision that learners have to rewrite, it was not necessary that all provinces were forced to rewrite.
“Normally when a paper is leaked, only the affected province would rewrite.
“There are many learners in some provinces who did not have access to the leaked papers. There were no such incidents reported in the Northern Cape. It should only be affected provinces, such as Gauteng who rewrite.
“We understand that it was reported that the papers were leaked through WhatsApp but there is no evidence to show that the leaked was circulated amongst learners in this Province.
“The marking of the scripts should have continued as the marks of the scripts would have also revealed and exposed the culprits who had access to the paper,” said Mphalala.
Some parents and learners in the Province were shocked by the announcement.
One parent said the department is even punishing those learners who were not incriminated.
“This is not the first time in history that a paper had been leaked. There were several such incidents in the past and not all learners were made to rewrite during that time.
“Since the investigation showed where and how the papers were leaked, it clearly could not have been that difficult to trace the persons who had access to the papers.
“One might even find that only a handful of learners actually circulated the papers but now the majority are being held responsible. That is not fair,” one parent said.
Learners were also flabbergasted when they heard about the announcement.
“This is shocking and unexpected. There were many of us who have not laid eyes on either of the two papers but now we have to write the exams again. We thought we were coming to an end with the examinations but now the process had been extended,” they said.
Others felt that a rewrite will eliminate others getting the upper hand unlawfully.
“A rewrite may be an inconvenience, especially since we are writing during a pandemic. However, the fact that there are learners who had seen the examination papers and would have come out victorious. It is not fair to us who had to sit and study. Those who had access to the papers had an early start in the race. We are not certain where this unfair advantage would have ended. The rewrite will now level the grounds,” they said