THREE people were arrested in Nelspruit after they were found in possession of leaked 2009 matric examination papers, Mpumalanga police said yesterday.
THREE people were arrested in Nelspruit after they were found in possession of leaked 2009 matric examination papers, Mpumalanga police said yesterday.
Two matric pupils and a teacher were found in possession of examination papers for mathematics papers 1 and 2, physical science papers 1 and 2, and accounting, said Captain Leonard Hlathi.
He said one pupil and the teacher were arrested on Tuesday and the other pupil was arrested yesterday.
"We have charged them with breaching the Control of Access to Information Act of 2000. They will all appear in the Nelspruit magistrate's court on Thursday (today)."
Hlathi said the examination papers were now held as evidence by the police.
Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane confirmed the arrests. He said the three were in possession of examination "material" that they were not supposed to possess.
"Investigations are ongoing to verify the type of material, the spread and if it can be linked to the coming examinations," said Zwane.
Zwane commended the police for their swiftness in handling the matter.
Matric examinations will commence on Monday.
National education spokesperson Granville Whittle said: "We have a lot of people writing exams. The Mpumalanga education department has not confirmed if this is in fact a leak. If it is, they will alert the national department.
"We try to put adequate security measures but there is a human element involved."
This is not the first time that Mpumalanga has been accused of matric examination fraud.
In 2005, more than 38 schools were investigated after it was alleged that teachers gave pupils memoranda or wrote answers on the chalkboard during exams.
In 1998, the province came under the spotlight after the matric results were escalated by 20percent. - Sapa
Three held over matric exam papers
THREE people were arrested in Nelspruit after they were found in possession of leaked 2009 matric examination papers, Mpumalanga police said yesterday.
THREE people were arrested in Nelspruit after they were found in possession of leaked 2009 matric examination papers, Mpumalanga police said yesterday.
Two matric pupils and a teacher were found in possession of examination papers for mathematics papers 1 and 2, physical science papers 1 and 2, and accounting, said Captain Leonard Hlathi.
He said one pupil and the teacher were arrested on Tuesday and the other pupil was arrested yesterday.
"We have charged them with breaching the Control of Access to Information Act of 2000. They will all appear in the Nelspruit magistrate's court on Thursday (today)."
Hlathi said the examination papers were now held as evidence by the police.
Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane confirmed the arrests. He said the three were in possession of examination "material" that they were not supposed to possess.
"Investigations are ongoing to verify the type of material, the spread and if it can be linked to the coming examinations," said Zwane.
Zwane commended the police for their swiftness in handling the matter.
Matric examinations will commence on Monday.
National education spokesperson Granville Whittle said: "We have a lot of people writing exams. The Mpumalanga education department has not confirmed if this is in fact a leak. If it is, they will alert the national department.
"We try to put adequate security measures but there is a human element involved."
This is not the first time that Mpumalanga has been accused of matric examination fraud.
In 2005, more than 38 schools were investigated after it was alleged that teachers gave pupils memoranda or wrote answers on the chalkboard during exams.
In 1998, the province came under the spotlight after the matric results were escalated by 20percent. - Sapa