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Marking the halfway point in the matric final examinations, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) on Thursday noted nine cases of pupils with cheating material.
“Unfortunately, our sharp-eyed invigilators have already encountered nine cases of candidates bringing either cellphones or crib notes into the exam venue,” said the department minister David Maynier.
According to the department, the candidate continues with the exam, and an investigation and hearing will take place.
Invigilators confiscate answer books and other cheat material from learners caught with cellphones or cheat papers and provide a replacement book, instructing the learner to continue from where they left off.
In better light, the WCED has not reported any incidents of exam paper leaks, though they urge matrics to report information on any suspected leaks.
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According to Maynier all matric candidates and parents were required to sign a commitment agreement outlining the rules and consequences of cheating in the matric exams.
“The consequences of being found guilty at the hearing are serious: the candidate’s results could be nullified, and they could even be barred from writing one to three subsequent examinations, delaying their post-school employment or education,” he said.
The minister reminded candidates to thoroughly check their pockets for notes and cell phones before sitting down to write, as failure to do so will not be justified by claims of forgetfulness.
Furthermore, if pupils are found guilty of cheating, their results could be nullified and could even be barred from writing one to three subsequent exams.
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Maynier thanked the public for supporting matrics during their exams thus far.
“We thank the public for the support they have shown our matrics since the exams began on 21 October 2024, and appeal to everyone in the Western Cape to continue making our candidates the VIPs of our province as they complete their remaining exams.”
Speaking to the matric pupils, the minister said that he is proud of their progress and for their hard work.
Matrics are urged to approach their teacher if they are struggling with anxiety due to the exam pressure or contact the Safe Schools Call Centre on 0800454647.
“Good luck with the rest of your exams!
“We look forward to celebrating the matric results in January with all of our candidates in the Western Cape,” he concluded.
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