Umalusi, the council in charge of quality assurance for education, has to approve the Matric results for release. Even with leaks in the 2020 Matric examinations, Umalusi has approved the release of the results.
Umalusi has approved the release of the 2020 Matric results, despite leaks having had happen during the exam season.
The council also approved the release of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Amended Certificate results.
During the 2020 National Senior Certificate exam period, the Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences Paper 2 question papers were leaked. Umalusi then had to take this into consideration when they were certifying the results.
Chairman of Umalusi, Prof. John Volmink declared:
The executive committee of council approves the release of the DBE results of the November 2020 NSC examinations based on available evidence that the examinations were administered in accordance with the examination policies and regulations in respect of the generally identified irregularities.
Explaining further, Volmink said, “Having studied all the evidence presented, the executive committee of council noted the isolated generally identified irregularities reported during the writing and marking of examinations as well as the group copying cases reported in four provinces.”
It was then said that the executive committee is satisfied that, based on available evidence, there were no systemic irregularities reported which might have undermined the overall credibility and integrity of the November 2020 National Senior Certificate administered by DBE.
The group copying involved 893 candidates.
According to the findings of the investigation, 236 candidates, who are mostly top achievers, were allegedly involved in the Mathematics question paper sent via a WhatsApp group.
Of these, 135 learners belonged to a chat group where one of the candidates sent two sets of questions weighing five marks each asking for help in solving the problems.
However, the DBE is required to block the results of candidates implicated in irregularities. This includes candidates involved in group copying.
Further investigations are pending. The Council has urged the department to tighten the security at all levels, to ensure and prevent the leak of question papers.
According to the Department of Basic Education’s National Investigations Task Team (NITT) Chairperson, Hugh Amoore, the 2020 combined matric examination was not compromised, while the leaks were only limited to a small group.
Amoore said while the full extent of the leak may never be known, the investigation found that widespread access to the question papers did not occur.
Those responsible for the leak will be held accountable. An employee from a printing company contracted by one province has been arrested and appeared in court and will return in March.
However, the second source of the leaked paper showed that the paper was printed at the Government’s Printing Works, of which the matter is in the hands of the Hawks.
The Council also noted an improvement in the quality of marking.
Moderations are done on subjects and this then would determine whether the marks will be adjusted downwards or upwards. Chairman of Umalusi, Prof. John Volmink, has said that 48 of the 65 subjects’ raw marks will have no adjustments made. 8 subjects will be moderated downwards and 9 will be moderated upwards.
Umalusi is the council in charge of quality assurance for education and training. They assess results for public and private institutions. It’s their job to certify the results and exams and to say whether they are credible, valid and fair.
When Umalusi administers standardisation processes, they aim to ensure that the learners are not disadvantaged by factors outside their knowledge, abilities and aptitudes and to also achieve compatibility and consistency of learner performance.
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