By More Matshediso
Pretoria - Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe says matric learners in the province have found the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations fair, reasonable and challenging.
MEC Makgoe said very few and minor irregularities were encountered during the exam period and that the credibility of the examination is still untarnished.
He issued the report on the conduct of the 2014 grade 12 examinations on Thursday, five weeks after exams started.
“On Friday, 212 candidates will down their shovels with Agricultural Technology in the morning, while 18 candidates will perform their last dance for Dance Studies [examinations] in the afternoon,” he said.
The MEC said about 26 795 candidates have been writing exams at 329 centres across the province.
He said candidates who used all their opportunities and worked hard have been able to answer the questions in the allocated time of the paper.
Investigating irregularities
“We have started to investigate the four serious irregularities, which relate to candidates who were allegedly found in possession of unauthorised material in the exam room,” the MEC said.
Depending on the outcome of the investigations, MEC Makgoe said the results of the affected candidates may be withheld or released.
“We also recorded a few incidents where candidates fell ill during the examination sessions and could not finish writing. These candidates will be accommodated in the supplementary examinations of February 2015,” said the MEC.
He said one candidate gave birth the day before her final paper. However, the MEC said the candidate was declared medically fit by her medical practitioner to write the paper and completed her exams.
Marking of scripts
No power outages were experienced in examination centres but there is some concern that load-shedding may affect the marking centre where Information Technology (IT) and Computer Application Technology (CAT) subjects will be marked.
“The Department will closely monitor the situation to prevent the delay in the completion of the marking. The marking of scripts is scheduled from 6 to 16 December 2014 at 16 marking centres in the province,” MEC Makgoe said.
About 2 479 marking personnel will be deployed to the marking centres. The marking centres are situated at departmental schools with suitable hostel and catering facilities to accommodate the marking personnel, who will work for long hours during the school holidays.
“Our vigilant team of monitors in the province, as well as senior departmental personnel, will monitor the marking centres to ensure that all processes are running smoothly,” MEC Makgoe said.
The NSC results will be announced by the Minister for Basic Education on 5 January 2015. The Free State provincial results will be released on 6 January 2015 at the Free State Central University of Technology (CUT). - SAnews.gov.za
