'With more than half a million mathematical literacy learners, one would have expected the Department of Basic Education to ensure that the examination papers are error-free. However, this is not the case.’ File Picture: Independent Newspapers
Having caught a glimpse of the NSC Mathematical Literacy Paper 2 for 2024 written on 4 November raises some questions about the procedure followed by the Department of Basic Education when setting its examination papers.
Worryingly, the number of matriculants writing mainstream mathematics has declined from 57% in 2014 to only 32% in 2023 while 66% of the matriculants wrote mathematics literacy last year.
Assuming this trend continues in 2024, approximately 582,000 matriculants will have written mathematical literacy this year.
With more than half a million mathematical literacy learners, one would have expected the Department of Basic Education to ensure that the examination papers are error-free. However, this is not the case.
In Maths Literacy Paper 2, one question requires the learners to calculate the total number of bricks that must be used when closing the openings of two garage doors with double brick walls.
Although the dimensions of the garage doors are provided, the critical dimensions of a typical brick to be used when building the wall do not appear in the paper.
Bearing in mind that there are a variety of bricks, such as clay a brick, and a maxi brick, each with different dimensions.
Labour is also quoted as R500 per square metre. Is the latter ambiguous? Is this per single or double layer of bricks?
How is this possible, for such a glaring error to have crept into the final version of the examination paper?
Did the examiner(s) not draft a memorandum for the paper? Had this been done, then surely the error would have been identified before printing the paper.
Does it imply that there is no quality assurance with the setting of the important NSC examination papers?
Another question in the same paper depicts an ablution facility with showers, and toilets but no handbasins. What does it state about the standard of hygiene in the mind of the examiner?
The question paper consists of 16 pages, i.e. 12 pages plus 4 for the addendum. Let’s do the math, assuming it costs R20 to print a complete examination paper. Then the total cost would be approximately R11.6 million (=582,000 × R20) for printing the Mathematical Literacy Paper 2.
Based on the above, is the approach by the examiners of the Department of Basic Education not a major contributor to the decline in the matric pupils writing mainstream mathematics?
You be the judge.
* Adiel Ismail, Mountview.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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