This is despite the department promising there would be clarity on the matter by 08:00 today (January 17). The contentious issue surrounding whether or not learners should write the 2018 final examinations at the end of January, or be progressed based on the marks they obtained throughout the three schools terms of the previous academic year, continue to leave schools in the mining town in total limbo.

OFM News has been informed that one of the principals at the schools received notification that they should await a letter from the Head of the Department of Education in the province regarding what the next step is for schools and learners. The Principal at Koffiefontein Combined School, Susan Nieuwoudt, says she is concerned that this is another promise the department won’t keep. Nieuwoudt says they are anxiously waiting for the HOD’s letter. Yesterday, officials from the Education Department’s Xhariep District concluded two days of parents meeting sessions at the four schools in the area in an effort to present their take on the way forward and hear if parents are in agreement.

The OFM News team was at Koffiefontein Combined School on Wednesday afternoon, January 16, where the department’s Velaphi Magwa informed parents that learners from grades four to eleven should write exams. One by one, parents took to the podium and expressed their dissatisfaction with that plan, adding that it was unfair to learners and teachers who would have to spend an inordinate amount of time, preparing for the examinations, then writing examinations and then attempt to salvage what is left of the first term afterwards. Parent Debbie Maloney told OFM News at the meeting that they agree with the Education MEC Tate Makgoe that no child should be progressed to the next grade without qualifying to do so, however this does not mean the majority of the learners have to write examinations at such a late stage.

 “We’ve already wasted a lot of time and there’s a lot that has to be done for the new school year,” argues Maloney. She says only children that have passed over the three terms should be allowed to progress. She says the onus is on parents to ensure that their children pass exams in 2019, “but we need to put 2018 behind us now”. 

Many of the parents cited a section of the National Protocol for Assessment Policy to support their assertion that no child in the town should be forced to write examinations at such a late stage. This section, which is point three under the category titled ‘Absentees’, states that “A learner who, due to illness or any other circumstances beyond the control of the learner, is unable to write the end-of-year final examination, will be exempted from the examination. A mark based on the School-Based Assessment or Practical Assessment mark obtained by the learner prior to his or her illness, will be calculated and awarded to the learner affected”.

Magwa repeatedly told parents that the section was created for instances where one learner is unable to continue with examinations for whatever reason, it does not apply to a situation where all the learners in a town are unable to write exams.

OFM News/Sazly Hartzenberg, Katleho Morapela and Olebogeng Motse