The matric exams were no doubt stressful for the thousands who sat for – hopefully – their final tests as high school pupils.
But five matric markers were sent home with an epic fail for arriving at marking venues drunk. While all five have been dismissed, another three were asked to leave for the day after reeking of alcohol.
Three markers from the Rustenburg High, Vryburg High and Sannieshof marking centres in North West, and two from marking venues in the Eastern Cape have been given their walking papers.
One of the three dismissed markers from North West was found with a cooler box full of alcohol. In the Eastern Cape police had to be summoned to forcibly remove a drunk marker from a marking venue after he refused to leave.
Western Cape education department spokesperson Bronagh Casey said the three markers who arrived smelling of alcohol at the marking centre for the pre-marking process last Monday were asked to leave. They returned the following morning after sobering up.
A total 44,505 markers have been appointed across SA at 141 marking centres.
A marker who was based at Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High in KwaZulu-Natal died at the centre last Tuesday as a result of an illness, and the child of a marker from the Northern Cape also died. Another marker from the Northern Cape was sent home after falling ill.
Northern Cape education department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said the marking of the civil technology paper had been completed as there were few candidates who wrote. Markers at one of the three centres in the Northern Cape had to finish marking at 6pm instead of 8pm because of load shedding.
Adjustments had to be made to the marking schedule to compensate for the lost time. “Since then load shedding has been during the day and has had no impact,” he said.
North West education department spokesperson Freddy Sepeng said some marking centres had generators as backup.
Basic education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the director-general, Mathanzima Mweli, had also noted load shedding was delaying the process of capturing marks.
Mweli would be addressing these concerns with Eskom.
The Western Cape education department has been the only one among the nine to give competency tests to markers before employing them.
Casey said the system was introduced in 2011 to improve the standard of marking.
“The competency tests are developed with the aim of assessing the teachers’ or subject officials’ knowledge, marking skills and skills in the development and application of the [marking] memorandum.”
Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the stringent measures put in place had prevented markers from misbehaving and marking had progressed well.
Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the province expected to finish marking by Friday, while his Free State counterpart, Howard Ndaba, said they were hoping to finish by Saturday.
Zwane said alcohol was strictly prohibited at marking venues and that gates were locked at 8pm and opened at 4am.
“We have not experienced any challenges with regard to compliance.” Limpopo’s education department said its marking was progressing very well. KwaZulu-Natal’s education department did not respond to media queries.
Besides officials from the national and provincial education departments, marking was being closely monitored by matric exam watchdog Umalusi and teacher unions.
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga will announce the matric results on January 3. — Times Select..