Hyping up provinces' matric results encourages cheating, says Naptosa

While education departments from different provinces each year eagerly await to hear how they, along with their districts, schools and individual pupils, fared, teachers' union Naptosa says the desire to be among the top performers is not always good. 

In a statement released shortly after basic education minister Angie Motshekga released the results, the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa said: “Naptosa cautions the department against the matric hype and provincial league tables. This is encouraging undesirable, desperate and dishonest acts.” 

The union congratulated pupils and teachers alike after news that the 2022 matric pass rate had gone up to 80.1%,  from 76.4% the previous year.

“This cohort was at a distinct disadvantage compared to previous years as their preparatory years (grades 10 and 11) for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) were during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, this improved percentage of 3.7% is even more remarkable,” Naptosa said.

The union said the latest exams were marred by incidents of dishonesty with allegations that invigilators  were implicated. 

“What Naptosa finds most disconcerting is the increased role of educators in these acts of dishonesty,” it said.

The union. however also expressed its joy at the way in which the matric class of 2022 fared. The union said rotational attendance, online and hybrid classes as well as forced school closures made this an extra-difficult period.

“The loss of loved ones, as well as increased load-shedding, community protests and large-scale flood damage had an added impact on teaching and learning in 2022, Hence the triumph over adversity for this matric cohort is applauded.”

Naptosa said while it was fitting to congratulate the education department and the exams directorate specifically, it was the teachers who deserved special recognition.

“Teachers went beyond the call of duty during the 2022 academic year to ensure that learners were appropriately prepared. Many teachers have hardly enjoyed a weekend or holiday as they pushed to catch up and prepare learners for this all-important exit exam.”

The union acknowledged the teachers in the grades below grade 12 who prepared the pupils on their way to matric.

The union asked all stakeholders to support pupils who did not meet the requirements for the NSC.

“We urge them to return or make use of alternatives, such as chance matric, to ensure that they are not lost to the system by adding to the statistics of the NEETS (neither educated, employable, trained or skilled) group.”

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