The printing of 2024 matric examination papers is below the highlight following surprising revelations of how a lot the invoice will come to on the finish of the 12 months. According to The Citizen, the Department of Basic Education opted to let provincial departments outsource the printing of 2024 matric examination papers.

In the previous, the job would have been undertaken by the state-owned Government Printing Works (GPW). However, out of all 9 provinces, just one opted to make use of GPW for 2024 matric examination papers. This consequence has raised serious concerns about corruption and price manipulation. But how did it occur within the first place?

2024 MATRIC EXAM PAPERS

Well, the quick reply is corruption and considerations about papers being leaked by authorities officers forward of time. In the previous, it has been alleged that department officials were offered a lot of money to share the papers. As a outcome, to shore up the integrity of the 2024 exams, the expensive choice was taken to interact with personal printers in eight of the nine provinces.

Therefore, the price of printing Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Independent Examinations Board (IEB) examination papers has ballooned from R1 billion in 2023, to a staggering R3.6 billion this 12 months. This is in response to Elijah Mhlanga of the Department of Basic Education spokesperson and the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, who each verify there are 1 million full- and part-time NSC and IEB candidates writing 2024 matric examination papers.

WHY IS PRIVATE PRINTING SO EXPENSIVE?

Therefore, in response to the division, it prices authorities roughly R4 000 per candidate to write down all their 2024 matric examination papers. This takes under consideration printing, packing, transport, distribution, storage and safety. Plus, every province has a barely completely different value preparations with their service supplier. However, studies allege that authorities officers appointed sure service suppliers to print 2024 matric examination papers to learn themselves.

For instance, within the North West province, the funds to print matric examination papers by way of GPW has been R8 million since 2017. However, this 12 months a non-public printer will value the province R27 million. That is a drastic enhance with none possible rationalization. Likewise, Limpopo’s printing invoice has jumped from R13 million with GPW, to R30 million. Gauteng has gone from spending R17 million to R36 million. Both IEB and NSC 2024 matric examination papers are being written from 21 October to twenty-eight November 2024.

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