Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga outlines plans put in place to tighten security to avoid exam papers being leaked. Picture: Kamogelo Moichela, ANA
AS THE 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams draw closer, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has outlined security plans put in place to curb the illegal leaking of exam papers.
"We have put in place a lot of measures to protect the sector because the NSC is a national paper. With technology, a paper can be leaked in the Free State and reach other provinces, making it hard to investigate," said Motshekga.
The minister was addressing the media at the department's conference centre in Pretoria on Sunday.
On a yearly basis, the department and thousands of learners are being affected by question paper leaks of the NSC exams, impacting the lives and quality of education of learners who have been working and studying hard for years.
Last year, according to reports, over 300 Grade 12 learners from Mpumalanga schools received what is believed to be an answer sheet during the exams from teachers.
“I can assure you that we pay a lot of attention to ensure that we curb any leak because it is a headache if it happens,” said Motshekga.
“In the event of a leak, depending on what has happened, we investigate the source of the leak and what is said to be the leaked material.”
Speaking on the state of the final exams, Motshekga said that about 723,000 candidates are registered to sit for the exams at 6,800 centres.
The NSC final exams are expected to start on October 30 and conclude on December 5.
Furthermore, she urged parents, guardians, caregivers and the community as a whole to support our Grade 12 learners who will be writing the final exams.
She added that all stakeholders need to work together to ensure that learners are prepared and ready for the exams.
During the briefing, Motshekga touched on the issue of load shedding being a problem in schools, but added that the department will put in more effort to ensure that learners are not affected.