Marthina Mutanga
THE Ministry of Education has confirmed that due to the exam paper leakage, Grade 11 and 12 National Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSCO) examinations for affected subjects will be rewritten in January and February next year.
Education Executive Director Sanet Steenkamp said this is to protect the integrity of qualifications.
All affected subjects of which the exams have yet to be written have been cancelled.
The ministry also announced the early closure of schools.
This is for regions to prepare for the continuation of the national examinations in the next school year.
The last school day for pre-primary to Grade 3 learners will be 3 December, and 9 December for Grade 4 to 10 pupils.
Three criminal cases have been opened with the Namibian police, two in Ongwediva and one in Ondangwa where the leakages reportedly took place.
So far, ten suspects have been apprehended.
Eight were released on bail while two foreign nationals are still in custody.
Steenkamp said students should not be disheartened and ensure that they sit for English Second Language: Paper 1 and 2, History (1 and 2), Agriculture (1 and 2), Development Studies (1, 2 and 3) and Biology (1, 2 and 3).
“For Grade 11 Ordinary Level we also have ten subjects for the new curriculum and they will be written either in January or February,” she said.
These are English Second Language (paper 1), Afrikaans Second Language (paper 1), Biology (papers 1, 2 and 3) Mathematics (papers 1 and 2), Physics (papers 1, 2 and 3), Chemistry (papers 1, 2 and 3), Entrepreneurship (paper 1), Business Studies (papers 1 and 2), Agriculture (paper 1), Oshikwanyama and Oshindonga (papers 1, 2 and 3).
The ministry stated these developments could delay the release of Grade 11 and 12 examination results.
This will have a ripple effect on the resumption of classes for Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level learners.
The ministry urged teachers, parents, guardians and the public at large to report any incidents of suspected wrongdoings.
“All administrative processes are in motion to investigate this incident and ensure the further tightening of existing control measures,” Steenkamp concluded.
