Johannesburg – The Department of Basic Education on Thursday said disciplinary hearings for learners from High Quality Independent High School who are suspected of cheating in the National Senior Certificate examinations last year began on Thursday.
The results of learners from the high school in Limpopo, which was suspected of "group copying", have been held back.
"The hearings for all implicated learners will be completed in the next two weeks and thereafter the final recommendations will be presented to the National Examinations Irregularities Committee for ratification," said Basic Education Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.
He said if all goes according to plan, the outcome of the hearings will be finalised by end of January. Mhlanga also said progress had been made in the implication of Giyani High school and New Era College following the leaking of the Mathematics paper two during the National Senior Certificate examinations in 2016.
"The results of selected candidates from Giyani High, and New Era College (all subjects) have been blocked pending the outcome of the full investigation," said Mhlanga.
Mhlanga said the Provincial Examinations Irregularities Committee (PEIC) in Limpopo had convened the hearings for the implicated learners from Giyani High school on Tuesday and all the learners were present.
He, however, said the department was not able to proceed with the arrangements for the hearings at New Era College because that institution lodged an application for an urgent interdict at the Thohoyandou High Court.
It wants the courts to compel the Limpopo Education Department to release the results of the New Era candidates in the other subjects except Mathematics. The case has been postponed to Friday, 13 January 2017.