Minister Schäfer cautions Grade 12 learners against cheating in the NSC Exams

This year 51 987 full time candidates and 13 912 part-time candidates have registered for the 2017 NSC in the Western Cape.

Some candidates will start examinations for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) on 16 October, with practical examinations in Computer Application Technology (CAT).

However, the vast majority of candidates will start on Tuesday, 24 October with English home language, and first and second additional language.

Cheating in these examinations can result in serious consequences such as being banned from writing the NSC for up to three years.  Criminal prosecution could be imposed should it be found that a learner is involved in the leakage of any examination question paper.

Today I visited Intshukumo Secondary School where 158 NSC candidates took part in a voluntary pledge signing ceremony that shows their commitment to complying with all rules and regulations relevant to the NSC exams.

The pledge states that the candidate will uphold the principles of honesty and integrity in the examination by:

1. Complying with all the rules and regulations relevant to the National Senior Certificate examination
2. Following the instructions of the invigilator during the writing of the examination
3. Not being influenced, in anyway, to cheat in the examination
4. Not participating in any wrongdoing which includes, but not limited to: copying, being in possession of unauthorized material or electronic devices, accepting or providing assistance to another candidate, writing on behalf of another candidate or any other unauthorized action
5. Reporting any form of wrongdoing that I am aware of to the school principal.
6. Once in the examination room, the candidate must ensure the following:

• " No notes or any other material that is not allowed in the examination room is in his/her person. Being found in possession of any notes or material in the examination room is regarded as an act of misconduct.
• " No cell phones, or any other device is brought into the examination room. Any such device found in your possession, also constitutes an act of misconduct.

The WCED has employed 1 370 invigilators at the 462 exam centres. Part of their duties is to check whether candidates are adhering to the NSC rules and regulations.

I should like to take this opportunity to caution all candidates writing against cheating in these examinations. After all, the only person that you are cheating is yourself! It also has the effect that people will not trust you in future.

Consequences of cheating in these exams can result in the following:

• The results of a candidate found with crib notes or carrying any electronic devices can be declared null and void.
• When the candidate's results are declared null and void, the result for the specific subject is marked as irregular but the candidate will receive results for the other subjects as well as a letter informing the candidate about the irregularity that occurred and the sanction imposed.
• The candidate will not receive a National Senior Certificate until she/he re-writes the subject and applies for a combination of results
• Disqualified learners can be banned from writing the examination for between one and three years. This will have obvious effects on the candidate's future study plans and opportunities.

Learners have spent at least twelve years at school and should not risk throwing all this away by choosing to use irregular means to pass the examinations.

I sincerely hope that we will not have to disqualify any candidates this year.

Instead, I would like to see improved results, quality passes and an increase in numbers passing this year - in their own merit.

It is far better to plan to study for exams than to cheat in the exams.

I wish all the Grade 12's the best of luck.