Pretoria - The Department of Basic Education says it hopes that the release of the Standardisation Report for the National Senior Certificate Grade 12 examination results will "silence the critics and skeptics".
On Wednesday, Umalusi released the results of the standardisation of last year's matric marks following allegations that the organisation was hiding something in the standardisation of the exams.
In a statement, department spokesperson Granville Whittle, said the department supports the decision taken by Umalusi to release the information, even though this has not occurred anywhere else in the world.
"The department trusts that the matter will now be put to rest and that the suspicions regarding some sort of political interference regarding the increase in the number of candidates who passed the National Senior Certificate examinations will come to an end," Whittle said.
Whittle reiterated that the standardisation of examinations at whatever level is not peculiar to South Africa, but follows international best practice and is a procedure that is carried out across examination systems worldwide.
"The standardisation report confirms the rigorous process of moderation and standardisation that the department has built up over the past years, the department has consistently worked to ensure the integrity of the examinations and to ensure that the results over the years are a true reflection of learner achievement.
"The department has an obligation to South Africa to ensure that the examination processes from beginning to end are conducted fairly and without any interference, the report issued by Umalusi shows that this good practice continues," said Whittle.
The report released by Umalusi showed that marks in nine 2010 matric papers set by the department were adjusted upwards. The papers included Accountancy, Consumer Studies, English Home Language, English First Additional Language, Geography, Mathematics, Sotho Home Language, Tswana Home Language and Venda Home Language.
Other subjects adjusted upwards included Afrikaans First Additional Language, Business Studies, Dramatic Arts, Mathematics, Physical Science, Visual Arts, Arabic Second Additional Language, French second additional language, advanced programme mathematics and sport and exercise science.
Subjects adjusted downwards included Agricultural Sciences, Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, Ndebele Home Language, Zulu Home Language, Xhosa First Additional Language, Life Sciences, Religion Studies, SiSwati Home Language and Tsonga Home Language.
