The National Senior Certificate examinations will begin on Wednesday (27 October) with the Department of Education introducing strict rules to ensure that the matric exams are fair.
This follows after the 2020 matric exams were marred with allegations of cheating when it was revealed that the Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences Paper 2 exams had leaked and begun circulating on instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
The department has indicated that it will be taking a zero-tolerance stance on cheating and sharing exam materials to combat this.
“In cases where a question paper, or part of a question paper, is forwarded by a candidate via email, SMS, WhatsApp or through any other electronic means, and the candidate fails to report such an incident to the school principal or the WhatsApp hotline, he or she will be deemed complicit. All candidates will be required to complete the Electronic Devices’ Register, which will be managed by the school. The register will require all candidates to record all details of the cellphone or any other electronic device that they will be using during the examination period,” it said.
It added that any student who is alleged to have had access to a question paper before an examination will also be required to submit their device to the Department of Education for further investigation.
The department stated that criminal prosecution may be imposed should it be found that the candidate is involved in the leakage of any examination question paper.
Sources: MSN, BusinessTech
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