The Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) says it will not postpone or suspend the examinations despite allegations that some Form Five examinations papers were leaked.
Instead, announcing examinations results might be suspended, pending the outcome of internal administration investigations.
This comes after a senior teacher at Maun Secondary School, Oyapo Marobela, was last week held in police custody and charged with theft following the disappearance of examinations papers that were allegedly found in his possession during police search.
The Public Relations Officer of BEC, Charles Keikotlhae, told The Telegraph this week that, “We are not going to postpone any examinations despite the fact that there were some examination papers that might have being leaked at Maun Secondary School that involved a teacher at the same school.”
He said as BEC, they will do their own internal administration investigations and the outcome of the investigations will determine whether the results of that particular school or the North West region can either be withheld or released.
“If you may recall well, examination results of YWCA sometime ago were withheld and released later after it had been alleged that some papers were leaked and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime investigated the matter,” he said.
Keikotlhae said after DCEC did its part, the BEC also conducted its own investigations that led to the delay of the results in being released the normal way.
He further said the Cambridge International Examination (CIE) consultant had been in Botswana for about three weeks to examine Botswana examinations, adding that every year around November such CIE consultants come to Botswana and scrutinize our examinations procedures.
Keikotlhae said the CIE is fully aware of the current situation that the BEC is facing.
Meanwhile, Marobela appeared before the Maun Magistrate court on Monday and pleaded not guilty.
The trial is scheduled to be held on May 2, 3 and 4 next year and the state is expected to bring about 12 witnesses who will testify against the accused person.
Marobela is represented by Charles Ntwaagae.
Reginald Education Officer in the North West region, Monare Lechiile, said, “We have not yet taken a decision whether or not to interdict the teacher in question.”
He said a letter had been written to him and he has 14 days to respond and, after that, will the Ministry decide what decision to take.
