Sadtu to file legal action to stop matric exam rewrite
According to Sadtu, the department consulted with the unions and the majority of unions let it be known that they were against the decision.
Picture for illustration. Picture: iStock
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union(Sadtu) has expressed their wish to seek legal action against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and examinations quality assurer Umalusi.
Sadtu has taken issue with both parties’ decision to schedule a rewrite for the National Senior Certificate mathematics and physical science exams for all learners after copies of both papers were leaked shortly before they were scheduled to be written.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced on Friday announced that mathematics paper 2 will be written on Tuesday 15 December and physical science paper 2 will be written on Thursday, 17 December 2020.
“Sadtu will, on Monday, file an urgent court application to interdict the department’s decision,” said the union in a statement.
According to Sadtu, the department consulted with the unions and the majority of unions let it be known that they were against the decision.
Sadtu alleges consensus was reached despite Umalusi not agreeing.
“Sadtu believes the decision to have all learners doing mathematics and physical science rewrite is unfair and premature because the investigation has not been concluded.
Based on the initial investigation which has shown that the number of learners who may have seen the paper are less than 200 out of the 390 000 who wrote the paper, there is no basis for a national rewrite.”
The union added that they are cognizant of the fact that preparing for the 2020 matric examinations was not easy under the Covid-19 conditions and that they are concerned for the learners’ mental health and readiness for rewrite.
“It undermines the work of our teachers and learners who worked under difficult circumstances due to Covid-19. Learners are being punished for something that is not of their making as only a few saw the paper,” said Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke in a statement.
READ NEXT: Outrage over matric paper rewrites in December
(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)
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