SADTU statement on the rewriting of leaked matric exam papers

5 December 2020

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union(SADTU) is seeking legal action against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and examinations quality assurer Umalusi over the decision to have all learners who wrote the National Senior Certificate (Matric) mathematics and physical science rewrite because the examination papers were leaked.

The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga announced on Friday, 4 December that the Mathematics Paper 2 will be written on Tuesday 15 December and Physical Science Paper 2 will be written on Thursday, 17 December 2020. SADTU will, on Monday, file an urgent court application to interdict the Department’s decision.

The Department of Basic Education consulted with the Unions and SADTU and the majority of unions made their views known that they were against the decision and consensus was reached. However, Umalusi did not agree and the decision to rewrite was taken.

SADTU believes the decision to have all learners doing mathematics and physical science rewrite is unfair and premature because the investigation has not been concluded. Based on the initial investigation which has shown that the number of learners who may have seen the paper are less than 200 out of the 390 000 who wrote the paper, there is no basis for a national rewrite.

Preparing for the 2020 matric examinations was not easy under the Covid-19 conditions and the learners’ mental health and readiness for rewrite is a big issue.

SADTU General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke said the decision has left many learners and teachers distraught and frustrated. “It undermines the work of our teachers and learners who worked under difficult circumstances due to COVID 19. Learners are being punished for something that is not of their making as only a few saw the paper,” Maluleke said.

Issued by Nomusa Cembi, Media Officer, SADTU, 5 December 2020