EDITORIAL | Matric rewrites a bitter pill to swallow, but the right thing to do

The department of basic education is facing mounting opposition and legal challenges about its “unpopular” decision to get all grade 12s to rewrite maths paper 2 and physical science paper 2.

Teacher union Sadtu fired the first salvo after signalling its intention to seek an urgent court interdict this week to force the department to reverse its controversial decision. The powerful and influential union said all 391,000 maths pupils are being punished “for something that is not of their own making”, as only a few saw the paper. Another teacher union is also expected to emulate Sadtu’s move.

There are also lawyers acting on behalf of parents who have threatened to launch legal action against the department and quality assurance body Umalusi, which is responsible for the certification of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) qualification. Not surprisingly, the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has also joined the fray by urging pupils not to sit for the rewrites, while a petition supporting the cancellation thereof has so far garnered more than 70,000 signatures. It is apparent that the groundswell of opposition against the rewrites is gaining momentum.

However, the department and Umalusi have been at pains to point out that the credibility and integrity of the NSC exams is sacrosanct and has to be maintained at all times, a position which needs to be applauded. Rufus Poliah, the chief director of national assessment and public exams, believes if the NSC, an exit certificate, loses its currency and value, it will mean the country’s education is compromised.

While the department established that only 195 maths pupils had prior access to the paper through WhatsApp, it admitted it could not “safely and confidently secure” the extent to which these pupils would have shared it with others. This because “what is on social media literally spreads like wildfire”. Another huge factor was that the department had to make an announcement about a rewrite quickly to give pupils adequate time to prepare.

Hats off to basic education minister Angie Motshekga for showing decisive leadership by insisting on a national rewrite despite it being “a sad decision”.

She acknowledged the department cannot risk any situation where Umalusi “disowns the results”.

While pupils may be outraged at the decision, it begs the question: if they were burning the midnight oil and had prepared thoroughly for the papers the first time round, why would it be difficult for them to study for such again?

It is accepted that a rewrite is a huge inconvenience and a psychological blow to them. Many may have started celebrating early by throwing their study notes away and returning their textbooks. But Motshekga noted that the class of 2020 must not become known as that which “wrote an exam that was limping”.

Matrics should also not question whether the distinction they receive is worth the paper it is written on. A situation where question marks hang over the credibility and integrity of the exams should be avoided at all costs. While a rewrite is a bitter pill to swallow, it’s a small price to pay for pupils who want to hold their heads up in the knowledge that their results have not been tainted by exam leaks.

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