THERE would be tighter scrutiny of examination papers after a trial matric economics paper was said to have insulted President Jacob Zuma.
This was stated by the Eastern Cape education department yesterday after the trial paper had a question with a cartoon showing Zuma with a shower over his head and an ambiguous reference to a “new boy”.
In the cartoon by Sunday Times cartoonist, Zapiro, published in April 2012, Zuma is shown joining other leaders of countries making up Brics – Brazil, Russia, India and China.
It was published after the Brics’s summit in India’s New Delhi where South Africa was welcomed as a new member.
In the cartoon, leaders from the other countries are depicted as bricks while South Africa, depicted by Zuma’s face and shower head, was described as a “briquette”.
The question asked pupils to identify “the new boy” joining Brics and list two reasons why the “new boy” was welcomed to join Brics countries.
Although South Africa is referred to as the “new boy” in the question, it could be misinterpreted as referring to Zuma.
Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj yesterday refused to comment and referred queries to the education department.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani yesterday poured cold water on concerns that the word “boy” referred to the country’s first citizen.
He also promised that his department would in future “interrogate” question papers to avoid such misinterpretation.
“The department acknowledges and regrets the fact that this has been culturally misinterpreted as referring to the head of state as the boy, which is not the case at all.
“This cartoon has been used for academic reasons, highlighting progress and strides made by South Africa, a country which is regarded as a small country joining the club of big boys, the Brics countries.
“It has been used for academic purposes to address the topic of emerging trade in economics and shows four Brics members with emerging country South Africa being introduced,” said Pulumani.
He said the word “boy” was used to indicate the fact that South Africa was at a developmental stage in terms of trade and at the time was joining the big countries.
“The intention was never in any way personalised or referred to the head of state,” said Pulumani.
Provincial ANC spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane yesterday defended the use of the phrase “new boy” in the question paper.
However, he added that provincial examiners should in future be sensitive in choosing words they used in examination papers.
“As the ANC we have noted the cartoon and the questions posed and figuratively portraying the country’s head of state as a boy among the Brics nations.
“The narrative academically is understood in the context of implying that South Africa is the smallest in the group and that we respect.
“However, the use of the word ‘boy’ may have its own connotation…a demeaning status and culturally it may pose a challenge in our society.
“We would wish to advise our examiners to be sensitive, and consider seriously offensive use of illustrations,” said Qoboshiyane.
Provincial South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) secretary Mncekeleli Ndongeni yesterday refused to comment on the matter. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Exam paper ‘not poking fun’ at Zuma
This was stated by the Eastern Cape education department yesterday after the trial paper had a question with a cartoon showing Zuma with a shower over his head and an ambiguous reference to a “new boy”.
In the cartoon by Sunday Times cartoonist, Zapiro, published in April 2012, Zuma is shown joining other leaders of countries making up Brics – Brazil, Russia, India and China.
It was published after the Brics’s summit in India’s New Delhi where South Africa was welcomed as a new member.
In the cartoon, leaders from the other countries are depicted as bricks while South Africa, depicted by Zuma’s face and shower head, was described as a “briquette”.
The question asked pupils to identify “the new boy” joining Brics and list two reasons why the “new boy” was welcomed to join Brics countries.
Although South Africa is referred to as the “new boy” in the question, it could be misinterpreted as referring to Zuma.
Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj yesterday refused to comment and referred queries to the education department.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani yesterday poured cold water on concerns that the word “boy” referred to the country’s first citizen.
He also promised that his department would in future “interrogate” question papers to avoid such misinterpretation.
“The department acknowledges and regrets the fact that this has been culturally misinterpreted as referring to the head of state as the boy, which is not the case at all.
“This cartoon has been used for academic reasons, highlighting progress and strides made by South Africa, a country which is regarded as a small country joining the club of big boys, the Brics countries.
“It has been used for academic purposes to address the topic of emerging trade in economics and shows four Brics members with emerging country South Africa being introduced,” said Pulumani.
He said the word “boy” was used to indicate the fact that South Africa was at a developmental stage in terms of trade and at the time was joining the big countries.
“The intention was never in any way personalised or referred to the head of state,” said Pulumani.
Provincial ANC spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane yesterday defended the use of the phrase “new boy” in the question paper.
However, he added that provincial examiners should in future be sensitive in choosing words they used in examination papers.
“As the ANC we have noted the cartoon and the questions posed and figuratively portraying the country’s head of state as a boy among the Brics nations.
“The narrative academically is understood in the context of implying that South Africa is the smallest in the group and that we respect.
“However, the use of the word ‘boy’ may have its own connotation…a demeaning status and culturally it may pose a challenge in our society.
“We would wish to advise our examiners to be sensitive, and consider seriously offensive use of illustrations,” said Qoboshiyane.
Provincial South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) secretary Mncekeleli Ndongeni yesterday refused to comment on the matter. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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