The Hawks and the department of basic education’s investigative team probing the leak of matric exam papers have so far tracked down about 260 pupils who “definitely” had access to it.
An impeccable source told Sunday Times Daily that investigators have traced between 200 and 220 pupils who were in possession of maths paper 2 and 39 who had physical science paper 2.
Maths paper 2 was written on November 16 and the science paper on November 23.
The department gave an update on the progress of the investigation into the leaks to teacher unions and governing body associations on Saturday.
Its investigative team, established after the leak of maths paper 2 was uncovered on November 16, was tasked with investigating the source and extent of it.
The paper was written by 391,339 candidates.
The team, comprising officials of the department, Umalusi, the South African Qualifications Authority and Universities South Africa (USAf), had until Monday to complete the first phase of its investigation into the maths paper leak.
During a media briefing on November 17, Rufus Poliah, the chief director of national assessment and public exams, said this was because if a rewrite was necessary it could be done by December 15, when the matric exams officially end.
But it appears unlikely the department will insist on a national rewrite of maths paper 2, according to the source, because of the small number of pupils found to be in possession of it.
“There will be a selective rewrite. At best, those youngsters [who had the paper] must rewrite, at worst their schools must rewrite.”
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga is expected to brief the nation this week about the rewrite of the leaked papers.
Poliah said the “extent of the leak will determine whether it [the maths paper 2] is a national rewrite or a localised rewrite”.
There will be a selective rewrite. At best, those youngsters who had the paper must rewrite, at worst their schools must rewrite.
“We had incidences in the past where we were able to confirm that the leakage was contained. Where there is containment then the rewrite can be administered within the confines of that particular area,” Poliah said.
The source said the investigative team was still “very busy” with the tracing of pupils who may have been in possession of physical science paper 2.
Matakanye Matakanye, general secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, who participated in Saturday’s virtual meeting, said they had called on the department to make all pupils rewrite the papers.
“We want to protect the children who did not have access to the papers because we don’t know how many others had access to the paper and haven’t been traced.”
Matakanye said if there was a national rewrite, “you will be treating each and every child equally”.
He said they were informed during the meeting that the Hawks were seeking consent from parents to question children who were in possession of leaked papers.
