DBE establishes task team to probe likelihood of more matric exam irregularities

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has set up a national investigation task team to probe if there are any more matric exam irregularities.

The move follows the detection of an exam paper leak in Gauteng.

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Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the team will start its work immediately to ensure the integrity of the 2025 exam is protected.

Gwarube made the announcement at a press briefing in Parliament on Thursday morning.

This is where she confirmed that criminal charges will be pursued against officials involved in the leak involving 26 learners.

The DBE’s probe into an exam paper leak during the 2025 final matric exams found that the candidates gave similar answers when responding to a “novel question” in the English Paper 2 exam.

The department said that a preliminary investigation also found that the leaks also involved the Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences exams.

Gwarube said a task team will now be investigating further.

“Umalusi, our quality assurer, has been briefed. The national investigative task team will begin its work immediately to establish the full facts. This has been isolated to a few learners in seven schools in the Pretoria area.”

Gwarube said of the officials to be criminally charged, one of them is a parent of one of the implicated matriculants.