Cape Town - Staff shortages, inclement weather and a taxi-related protest are some of the hurdles faced by candidates who started writing their 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations this week.
The portfolio committee on basic education was briefed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and quality assurance body Umalusi yesterday, for an updated status on the exams.
Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, said weather warnings for KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, and storms in Gqeberha, damaged power lines, and with candidates sitting for Computer Sciences yesterday, some 400 learners were affected.
Gwarube said contingency plans would ensure these learners be accommodated for a rewrite of a back-up examination paper.
“We usually have the SANDF also on standby in certain situations, whether to airlift learners to their exam venues, maybe due to protest action, but a decision was made this time, because regardless of the fact that they would have been able to be transported to the schools, but because of the storm damage to the power lines, they will not be able to write their exam in a fair manner (yesterday) in Gqeberha.”
DBE chief director for national assessment and public examinations, Dr Rufus Poliah, addressed issues raised by Umalusi on the shortage of permanent staff across some provincial departments.
“This is a problem, the DBE has conducted an audit of all our staff vacancies but I must say that our Heads of Department have done the best under the severe fiscal constraints to make critical appointments where possible. So there is movement, but not fast enough,” Poliah said.
Staff shortages were prevalent across most provincial education departments.
“Where staff shortages, staff from other units will be brought in to assist during the examination period.”
In Jan Kempdorp in the Northern Cape, a taxi-related protest resulted in the closure of five routes, blocking off access to five high schools on the first day of the examinations on Monday.
Through support from the police, all learners were taken to schools and 297 learners were able to write their examination papers, he said.
Eleven candidates fell ill and were admitted to hospital- three in Gauteng, six in Mpumalanga, and two in the North West.
“Some of them were admitted to hospital, others were allowed to write.
“There were at least two accidents. Others were girls pregnant and had to deliver in hospital and others had different types of illnesses.”
Umalusi senior manager for quality assurance of assessment for schools, Mary-Louise Madalane, said they were satisfied that the three assessment bodies (DBE, IEB, and SACAI) have implemented measures to ensure adequate resources were in place for managing the examinations, however, the DBE continues to face challenges related to staff shortages.
“While contingency plans are in place for the upcoming exams, Umalusi urges the department to work towards a sustainable solution to address this issue for future examination cycles, ensuring long-term stability in exam administration.”
Umalusi identified a shortage of markers for subjects History, English HL, and Afrikaans HL and FAL, particularly for Language Paper 3.
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za
Cape Argus