Last month, Physics Paper 2 was leaked just hours before matric pupils sat down to write it.

A week earlier, Maths Paper 2 was also leaked.

According to Motshekga, due to rumours of the Business Studies paper being leaked, the department replaced the paper and implemented further steps to protect the exams.

An investigations team was tasked with establishing the extent of the leak so as to determine if a rewrite of the Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Science Paper 2 is necessary. 

The team found the spread of information on cyber networks made it "virtually impossible" to accurately identify the number of learners that have had access to the leaked question papers.

The department consulted key stakeholders, including representatives from school governing body associations, school principals association, teacher unions and the quality assurance agency, Umalusi, on the way forward.

"The National Senior Certificate (NSC) is the flagship qualification relating to schooling. Credibility of the NSC examination is of paramount importance. 

"Any lingering doubt relating to the credibility of the NSC examinations must be thoroughly investigated and addressed. Avoiding prior access to the question paper is what all security measures are directed towards."

"Having considered all of these factors, CEM decided that a national rewrite of both Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences Paper 2 is necessary."

Mathematics Paper 2 will be written on Tuesday 15 December at 2pm and Physical Sciences Paper 2 will be written on Thursday 17 December at 9am.  

The minister made it clear that the people responsible for leaking the question papers were adults.

She expressed appreciation for the work being done by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations and the hard work of the officials at all levels of the education system.

"We welcome the arrest that has been made and we hope more arrests will follow. We really need to send a strong message that tampering with national examination is a serious offence.”

eNCA