Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

Civil engineering students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal are furious because they have been prevented from writing their final examination.

The civil engineering survey and construction paper was scrapped after department heads found out that the questions were very similar to what they had done in class. Examiners said a moderator had to reset the paper due to be written this morning. But students are adamant that the paper was leaked and that is why it had to be reset. Their claim was rejected by the department head.

One student said they had queried the delay and were told the paper had to be reset because some students complained about its "poor standard".

The student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We were first going to write the paper on the 15th and then yesterday."

He said foreign students who had made travel arrangements would now have to write the paper next year.

Professor Nelson Ijumba, dean of the engineering faculty, agreed that there were problems.

"There was a problem with the civil engineering survey and construction paper. The lecturer had to attend a conference in Cuba. We found that the examination questions were similar to those given in class during lectures."

Ijumba said after consulting with the lecturer concerned, they had asked another lecturer to set a new paper.

He said students heard about the move and demanded to write the paper that was initially set by their lecturer. Ijumba denied claims that some students had seen the first paper.