Education minister Angie Motshekga has published an extensive revision of the regulations governing matric exams in an apparent bid to stop cheating and to improve the administration of the tests‚ which are the key to university admission and access to skilled jobs.

Proposed amendments “pertaining to the conduct‚ administration and management of the senior certificate examination” that were published for public comment this week include:

- A new sweeping definition of an “act of dishonesty“‚ which includes “candidates engaging in dishonest acts during the examination process which include acts that are identified before the commencement of the examination‚ as well as acts that are identified while the examination question paper is being written or after the examination is written”.

- A broadening of the defination of “misconduct” to include “creating a disturbance or wilfully disobeying legitimate instructions‚ which may have an adverse effect on the examination process or the outcome of the examination”.

- The addition of the definition of an “examination irregularity”‚ which is defined as “any error‚ act or omission‚ or any alleged event‚ act or omission‚ which may undermine or threaten to undermine the inegrity‚ credibility‚ security or the fairness of the examination process“.

- Examination officials will be required “to disclose any information regarding the participation of their children or relatives in the examination” and may not set or moderate an examination question paper which a relative is writing.

- Pupils will have to write exam answers “in the language of learning and teaching“.

- A shoring up of the “storage and distribution” of exam papers which will require “all persons involved in the distribution process” to sign a “contract of confidentiality“.

- A new section governing the registration of independent schools as examination centres with two pages of compliance regulations.

- A requirement that exam candidates produce a valid identity document‚ passport or drivers licence.

Examiners will be required to have “at least a recognised three-year post-matric qualification” and “experience as a teacher in the particular subject” as well as “experience as a marker“.

The regulations include a schedule of 19 irregularities and the recommended punishment in the event they are breached‚ including examination results being declared null and void if candidates are found “in possession of unauthorised matrial” or “an unauthorised electronic device” or are found to be copying‚ assisting another candidate or if the handwriting of a different person appears on the examination paper.