The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) has raised alarm over the recent breach of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, warning that the scandal poses a serious threat to the integrity of the country’s education system.
This comes after Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed on Thursday that matric pupils at seven Pretoria schools had accessed leaked Mathematics, Physical Sciences and English question papers ahead of the examinations.
An internal investigation revealed that 26 learners admitted to receiving the leaked papers, which were circulated through a USB drive. The probe traced the source of the leak to two officials within the national examination unit. Both have been placed on suspension as a forensic investigation proceeds.
Minister Gwarube cautioned that any learner found guilty of cheating will face a ban of up to three exam cycles, stressing that decisive action is essential to protect the credibility of the matric qualification.
Naptosa says it expects the ongoing investigation to be “thorough and transparent.” KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Thirona Moodley condemned the breach, noting that it undermines the commitment of pupils and teachers who adhere to the rules.
“Any acts that compromise the quality and credibility of the education system must not be tolerated,” Moodley said. “Naptosa stands ready to support efforts to strengthen examination security and uphold the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct.”
She further urged parents, educators, officials and learners to safeguard the integrity of the examination process, warning that the misconduct of a few should not overshadow the hard work of the majority.
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta echoed these concerns, saying such breaches erode public trust in the system.
“We call on government to strengthen mechanisms that prevent incidents like this,” he said. “Had it not been for the vigilance of marking teachers who picked up irregularities, these exams would have been assumed to be fair but clearly they were not.”
The forensic investigation continues as authorities work to determine the full scope of the breach.