This year's Matric Exam candidates who were unable to write their exams due to protest disruptions have been afforded the chance to rewrite their outstanding examinations by the basic education department.
This comes after the department made arrangements for the affected learners to be given the chance to retake the exams that were missed due to service delivery protests in some parts of the country.
According to a statement by Umalusi, roughly 460 candidates in the North-West Province needed compensation for the lost time, while just over 50 candidates in Gauteng were prevented from taking the NSC exam because of community protests.
In addition to this, about 1 130 candidates in Mpumalanga were denied admission to their NSC exam centres where they were supposed to take the Paper 2 Math or Mathematical Literacy exams.
The Council for Quality Assurance body also expressed concerns about how communities have resorted to disrupting NSC exams as a means to air out their grievances, that this amounts to any of a learner’s constitutional right to an education.
While Umalusi respects the Constitutional right of every citizen to protest, candidates should also be allowed to exercise their right to education by writing the examinations without any form of hindrance. Umalusi wishes to reiterate its position that it discourages communities from using national examinations as leverage for their protest actions.
The Department of Basic Education's Mathematics Paper 2 question paper, according to Umalusi, is also allegedly riddled with problematic questions.
In this regard, it should be noted that the memoranda or marking guidelines sessions that moderate difficult questions in light of the candidates' responses are the typical practice for handling such situations.
Additionally, Umalusi added that they share their concern regarding the allegedly difficult questions in the Mathematics Paper 2 exam given by the Department of Basic Education.
Umalusi went on to say that it should be noted that the memorandum standardisation meetings or marking guidelines are the typical approach for handling such difficulties, as problematic questions are moderated in consideration of the participating candidates' answers.
