It’s not write: Teacher fears many pupils will boycott exam rewrites

“They have given up, they are done with physics. That is their response. It’s hard to convince them to study. When I told them there was a possibility they might be rewriting again, everyone was like: ‘No, we are not coming’.”

With these words, an Mpumalanga-based physical science teacher has summed up the fears many in the education sector have about the national rewrite of the mathematics paper 2 and physical science paper 2 exams that basic education minister Angie Motshekga announced last week. The decision was made after both papers leaked on WhatsApp ahead of the exams.

Nokulunga Zulu, who teaches physics at grade 11 and 12 level, said the national rewrite — a first for the country — was stressful for teachers and pupils. And, she said, it was made worse by the fact that the leak did not spread to all provinces...