Matric pupils in the Eastern Cape will have to rewrite the accounting paper that was written on Monday after it was discovered that it was identical to the one set for last year’s final exams.

The provincial education head of department, Naledi Mbude, confirmed to TimesLIVE that an exams official has been suspended for giving the wrong file to the company responsible for the printing of the accounting paper.

The province’s matrics started writing the 2021 National Senior Certificate preparatory exams last Thursday.

Mbude said that the official took the file, which was in a folder, to the printers without confirming which file needed to be printed.

“He was given a warning letter. This was the first time it happened. We are human beings and people make mistakes but it was an expensive mistake,” said Mbude.

She said that they informed the basic education department that the province will set a date for a rewrite.

“It’s not going to compromise in any way the marks or anything that will happen in the province,” she said.

The DA’s shadow MEC for education in the province, Yusuf Cassim, wrote to education MEC, Fundile Gade, asking for an investigation into the matter.

“With the matrics already finding themselves under immense pressure from Covid-19, the blunder by the department will cause further unnecessary stress and anxiety for learners and educators alike,” he said.

He told Gade that the issue must be fully investigated “so that we can understand how this error occurred and ensure that it is not repeated.

“I also request an apology be issued to learners and educators for the error and the consequences thereof.”

TimesLIVE