Countdown to matric examination
KZN Education MEC Ina Cronje says her department will adopt a zero tolerance approach to cheaters during this year's national senior certificate examination
Ronelle Ramsamy
AS thousands of Grade 12 learners prepare to write their national senior certificate examination, KwaZulu-Natal education authorities say logistics and security measures are in place to ensure a smooth and credible examination.
A total of 152 341 matriculants will be sitting for the new curriculum exam which starts on 29 October and ends on 3 December.
Addressing journalists on the province's state of readiness ahead of the exam, KZN Education MEC Ina Cronje said printing of exam papers were already at an advanced stage and on schedule.
'Question papers will be delivered to schools on the morning of the examination and no question papers will be stored at writing venues.
'Marking centres will be manned by security and unauthorised persons will not be allowed access into any centre.
'Marking will take place between 3-10 December at approximately 30 marking centres throughout the province where 10 237 markers will be on hand,' said Cronje.
Security
The MEC said they were also working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure the exams ran smoothly and no papers were leaked.
'In the event of leakages, the National Department of Education has backup papers already set.
'Arrangements have been made with the SAPS, SA Defence Force, local municipalities and NGOs in the unlikely events of floods, power failure/shortages, fires and transport problems.
'Each district has off-road vehicles to deliver question papers in difficult terrain. Should it become necessary to deliver question papers by air, helicopters will be on standby,' Cronje said. In addition, pupils have been warned against attempts to have prior access to unauthorised examination material.
'The department will come down very harsh on those learners who are copying.
'Results can be declared null and void and learners may be barred for a minimum of one and a maximum of three subsequent years from writing the exam.
'Learners can be arrested if the case is so serious that it needs the intervention of the SAPS, like writing the exam for another candidate or writing outside the designated venue.'
Logistics
In Richards Bay, various secondary schools said all logistics were in place ahead of the examinations, with stationery and furniture already arranged.
Principals told the Zululand Observer that the syllabus had been completed in time with revision currently underway.
'We have been sending our matriculants to the Unizulu Science Centre this week for assistance in their preparation for Maths and Science.
'We have received a lot of exemplar papers and memos from the department, which the learners have completed and are using for revision,' said Principal of Tholokuhle High School, VJ Hlatshwayo.
'We are ready. We have a workshop with matric invigilators this week to finalise arrangements.
'With this being a new curriculum, learner support from the department has been very good. Exemplar question papers were distributed in all subjects. The syllabus has been completed and we are currently going through exemplar papers for revision,' said Principal of Richards Bay Secondary School, Mr R Silochan.
A total of 353 pupils will be writing the national senior certificate at Tholokuhle High School, 191 at Richards Bay Secondary School, 167 at John Ross College, 146 at Hoërskool Richardsbaai and 120 at Aquadene Secondary School.
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