The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (DoE) is investigating reports that students in three schools were prevented from taking the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams in order to protect the academic performance records of the institutions.
The investigation began at Shallcross High School after six graduates allegedly could not write the Matric Literacy exam, Paper 1. Sipho Emmanuel Khlumuka, a member of the KZN DoE executive committee, stated that this was supposedly done to avoid damage to the school's one hundred percent pass rate.
He expressed serious concern over reports that students in three provincial schools were denied the opportunity to sit for the NSC exams. He specified that the two other schools mentioned in the incidents are Tokozamnganga High School in Hillcrest and Ntvenle High School in Folweni, near Isipingo.
At Tokozamnganga High School, a student was allegedly denied taking the History exam last week because she did not attend supplementary Saturday classes. Khlumuka also reported that a student at Ntvenle High School was denied taking the Accounting exam.
Khlumuka condemned such incidents, emphasizing that no student should be deprived of the right to take an exam as a punitive measure or due to concerns about the overall school performance. He added that denying the opportunity to take an exam is a serious matter that cannot be ignored. Supplementary classes are intended to provide students with additional academic support and should never be used as punishment that jeopardizes their right to complete examinations.
According to him, no student should feel that their future is threatened because they missed supplementary classes or because they might not achieve distinctions. The Department will conduct investigations into all reported incidents to establish the circumstances surrounding these allegations and determine appropriate measures.