KZN ready for protests, cheats and other matric exam challenges: Ntuli

KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has allayed concerns that service delivery protests may affect matric exams, which start on Monday.

“During the processes of exams, opportunists will use this to protest because of service delivery. We have an integrated plan which includes security issues. We are not only protecting schools, but we are working as a team with municipalities,” said Hlomuka.

He said the issue had come out strongly during a cabinet meeting where the department urged provincial co-operative governance MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi to tell local municipalities to activate rapid response team.

“This will ensure that issues raised on service delivery are attended to quickly so that exams are not disrupted.”

Hlomuka was speaking at a briefing by KZN premier Thami Ntuli on the province’s state of readiness for the national senior certificate exams.

He said in previous years some community members took advantage of the exams to draw attention to water shortages.

“Education is not only for government but rather a societal issue and needs everyone. It’s the only weapon which will assist this country to grow and keep job opportunities and grow the economy.”

They will also safeguard the safety of the exams after parents and angry community members threatened to disrupt exams in some of the schools as there was no water, he said.

“We are engaging with Cogta.”

Ntuli said they have plans to heighten security at high-risk examination centres in all 12 districts. Among the high-risk centres identified are Umlazi and Umzinyathi, which have 18 centres each, Umgungundlovu with 18, Pinetown (11), Zululand (8), King Cetshwayo (8), Ugu (7), Umkhanyakude (6), Harry Gwala (4) and Amajuba (1).

“We are ready. We don’t have concerns. There are measures to ensure that we do not falter and to ensure we present a credible exam,” said Ntuli.

About 172,433 full-time candidates and 34,986 part-time candidates will sit for the examinations.

“Pupils will be carrying the dreams, hopes and prayers of entire families, and the culmination of years of hard work,” said Ntuli.

The education department has worked hard to improve its 86% matric pass rate last year. he said. This included efforts with schools which achieved a pass rate of 40% and below.

Ntuli said Hlomuka and Ngcobo had on Wednesday conducted an inspection of the printing facilities expected to produce about 30-million examination scripts. 

The matriculants will on Friday sign a pledge to uphold the credibility and integrity of the matric examinations, he added.

The matric results are expected to be formally released by basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube on January 15. In KwaZulu-Natal the results will be released on January 16. 

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