The fact that the matric mathematics paper 2 contained an error, which has now been confirmed, is unforgivable given that the paper was supposedly set, moderated and scrutinised months in advance.
While TimesLIVE Premium understands the question with the error only accounted for seven marks, one can only imagine the stress and self-doubt which creeps in when a pupil feels they have adequately prepared for an exam but cannot seem to solve the problem they are faced with.
Pupils perhaps spent a considerable amount of time trying to solve an impossible problem.
The day the mathematics paper was written, several protests flared up around the country, meaning many matric pupils were already plagued by the stress of getting to the examination centres safely before they sat for the crucial paper. Many did not make it to the examination centres at all, while others arrived late and had to be accommodated.
This and load-shedding are just some of the immediate challenges the class of 2022 has had to face.
While the department had no control over this, the question paper that was placed before pupils was their responsibility.
Depending on the magnitude of the problem, the marks allocated to the question/s may be excluded from the question paper’s total marks or that alternative responses may be accepted.
— Umalusi, regulatory body
Regulatory body Umalusi on Sunday said it would try to remedy the situation.
It said: “Depending on the magnitude of the problem, the marks allocated to the question/s may be excluded from the question paper’s total marks or that alternative responses may be accepted.”
This means the paper will most likely be out of 93, with the flawed question being set aside.
Quite frankly, the damage goes beyond these seven marks.
As errors such as these were previously unheard of, it is unlikely pupils realised this was indeed a mistake to overlook. Therefore, Umalusi’s solution of taking into account everything but this particular question would only favour those who were wise enough not to get stuck on the question and continued to write undistracted.
But how many matrics may have perhaps seen this as a stumbling block which altered the way they wrote the rest of the paper?
Education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga reportedly said officials would look at the overall performance of pupils and may approach Umalusi for an adjustment of a percentage or two of the overall percentage received by each candidate.
At a time where a lot has been said about the quality of SA’s education system, its questionable pass rate and how it fares against education systems of other developing countries, this is yet another stain.
The department of education sabotaged itself and this exam, and if such problems continue, it threatens to render the SA matric certificate not worth the paper it is printed on.
One thing is not in doubt though: with this error, the department of education compromised and failed the matric class of 2022, and someone — probably not one person but a whole team of quality moderators — should account and be fired for the errors.
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