Cape Town - As the 2024 matric exams reach their halfway mark, the Western Cape Education Department has reported that nine candidates were spotted by eagle eyed invigilators, trying to bring either cell phones or crib notes into exam venues.
Despite this, Educations MEC, David Maynier assured the public that the exams have largely proceeded without major issues.
“While we are pleased to report that the exams are continuing smoothly, it is unfortunate that we have encountered cases of misconduct,” said Maynier.
“Nine learners have been caught attempting to bring unauthorised items into the exam hall, which is a clear violation of the rules.”
Maynier emphasised the department’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the examination process and warned that strict penalties will be enforced for any misconduct.
“These breaches are taken very seriously, and there are consequences in place to ensure that all candidates are held accountable for their actions,” he said.
If a candidate is found with a cellphone or crib notes during an exam, the item is immediately confiscated, and phones will be returned after the exam, once checked for any evidence of cheating.
The student’s answer book is taken, and they are given a new one to continue writing from where they left off.
The student will finish the exam, but a disciplinary investigation and hearing will take place afterwards.
Maynier stressed that the consequences for students found guilty of cheating are serious.
“If a student is found guilty during the disciplinary hearing, their results could be nullified, and they may face a ban from writing exams for one to three years. This can delay their educational and career prospects significantly.”
The department has also reiterated that candidates must thoroughly check their belongings before entering the exam venue.
“There are no excuses for failing to follow the rules. Forgetting that you are carrying a phone or crib notes is not acceptable,” Maynier added.
The cases of cheating have sparked responses from various community members.
Vanessa Le Roux, founder of Parents for Equal Education (Peesa), a group advocating for education integrity, said that students caught cheating must face the full consequences of their actions.
“As a mother of a Grade 12 learner, I know the rules are clear – none of these items are allowed in the exam venue.
“There should be no excuses for what these students did,” Le Roux said.
She added that society must hold children accountable for their actions.
“Too little is being done to teach our children accountability. We cannot allow students to think they can break the rules without consequences,” Le Roux stressed.
André de Bruyn, provincial head of the Educators and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (EUSA), emphasised that the presence of a cellphone in an exam venue – whether or not it is in use – can be considered a serious violation of examination rules.
“This could result in the disqualification of the candidate’s exam paper or, in some cases, the entire examination session.”
De Bruyn further noted that if a student is found guilty of such violations, they could be barred from sitting for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams for several years.
On the other hand, COSAS (Congress of South African Students) spokesperson Bongani Mpungose took a more lenient approach.
While acknowledging the seriousness of cheating, Mpungose argued that the punishment should not be too harsh.
“We believe in fairness for all students. Cheating is wrong, but the punishment shouldn’t ruin a child’s future,” she said.
COSAS suggests that suspending the student for a period of time, followed by a disciplinary hearing, would be a more appropriate response, allowing them to return to school and write future exams after facing appropriate consequences.