While a matric cheating scandal rocked the education department, implicating two officials and 40 pupils from seven schools in Tshwane, quality assurance body Umalusi on Friday approved the 2025 national senior certificate results. Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube presented preliminary findings on the cheating after the national investigation task team discovered the internal breach. “A DBE (department of basic education) official whose child was an NSC 2025 candidate is alleged to have been involved in this breach, with the pupil subsequently forming part of the distribution chain,” Gwarube said.
The HR employee is believed to have colluded with a colleague from the examination unit. Seven exams — English home language papers 1, 2 and 3, mathematics papers 1 and 2 and physical sciences papers 1 and 2 — were leaked. The investigating team reported that the leaked materials were shared through a combination of digital and physical means, including removable storage, electronic messaging, screenshots and printed copies.
Gwarube said the implicated schools would not be named. “Umalusi’s approval … is a clear assurance to every candidate and every parent: the 2025 NSC remains credible. Where wrongdoing is proven, it will be addressed firmly, but we will not allow a small number of offenders to taint the achievements of the overwhelming majority.” She said results for the 40 implicated candidates would be withheld temporarily while the official irregularity processes were completed.
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Candidates found guilty might have their results in the relevant subjects nullified and be further sanctioned. Sanctions include being barred from writing the NSC examinations for up to three examination sessions. The scandal comes amidst the Information Regulator’s application for leave to appeal against a judgment by a full bench of the Pretoria high court in December, which ruled that matric results may be published on public platforms, as they have been since 2022, using candidates’ examination numbers.
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