The MEC for Education, Fundile Gade, warned Grade 12 learners who may be found cheating during the final examinations that they would face tough consequences.
Gade said this at the provincial pledge signing ceremony that was held at St John’s College in Mthatha, last week.
This department is conducting Grade 12 National Senior Certificate Examinations in 944 full-time public schools, including 49 independent schools and 144 part-time centres.
He said learners should know that anyone who was caught cheating would be suspended for three years.
He said it was a difficult year because they were conducting the business of the sector within new norms.
Gade said they had not forgotten the contribution of every sector that had taken part to ensure that education continued, even though it had been a tough year.
“We are conducting the examinations for Grade 12 and other grades.
“It requires a sober leadership in the country and in the province, and even in the communities, in general, so that our learners can continue with their exams,” said Gade.
Gade said their aim was to develop the youth of this province through education.
“We managed to deliver the curriculum to our learners.
“This we did through taking the advantage of the available limited time and the utilisation of the strategies and the interventions to ensure proper coverage of the curriculum and protection of teaching time for better outcomes for the people of the province and our learners in the country.”
Superintendent General, Naledi Mbude, said it was very easy to make pledges but the main problem was to keep these promises.
She said learners should remain calm in whatever they would be doing during exams.
She told learners that candidates may not have any books, memorandums, notes or any other unauthorised material, other than what is provided to them by an invigilator or their admission letters in their possession.
“We want you to sign the pledge so that you know what is needed from you, as well as what will happen if you are found breaking the rules during the exams,” said Mbude.
