Despite numerous isolated irregularities and two leaked examination papers, the 2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam results have been approved by the quality assurance body Umalusi.
However, Umalusi did state that the investigation into the leaks that rocked the Department of Basic Education (DBE) during the exams last year is still ongoing.
The DBE administered the NSC examinations of 1,055,529 candidates – making it the largest exam ever sat for in SA, as a result of the cancellation of the June rewrite exams that could not take place because of Covid-19 and had to be combined with the November exams.
“The executive committee of the council is satisfied that, based on the evidence [presented by the DBE], there were no systemic irregularities which might have compromised the overall credibility and integrity of the 2020 NSC exams,” said Professor John Volmink, Umalusi’s chair of the council.
After a failed attempt to have the 2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates rewrite two leaked papers, maths and physical sciences, the National Investigations Task Team (Nitt), operating under the auspices of the National Examinations Irregularities Committee (NEIC), found that the full extent of the leaks can’t be determined.
“Given the fact that the spread of the questions papers was done via WhatsApp, it is a fact that the full extent of the leaks may never be revealed,” said Hugh Amoore, chair of Nitt.
“But, based on the available evidence we have at the moment from the investigative marking, interviews and statistical analysis, widespread leaks did not occur.”