BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – In what might come as good news to the education fraternity, no results will be withheld, as there were no pending cases of malpractice that were detected by the Examinations Council of Eswatini in 2024.
This was said by Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo on February 7, 2025 when he was releasing the Form Five results, which are formally known as the Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE), Eswatini Prevocational Certificate in Secondary Education (EPCSE), and the International General Certificate in Secondary Education (IGCSE).
Nxumalo said ECESWA investigated and concluded 30 malpractice cases in 2024. “Let me point out that ECESWA investigated and concluded 30 malpractice cases in the 2024 EGCSE examinations. There is no pending case and no results will be withheld due to malpractice investigations,” Nxumalo said.
The minister also warned candidates to desist from committing malpractice. He encouraged them to report anyone who would assist them during examinations because at the end of the day, they were the ones who would suffer the most.
Considering the prosecution of those involved in the 2023 malpractice, the minister said that case was nearing conclusion. He expressed optimism that the suspects would have their day in court. He thanked Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) for their unwavering support in providing security services whenever needed throughout the examination period.
He said ECESWA, the police, and other stakeholders were exploring ways in which collaboration could be strengthened, particularly in investigating and addressing malpractice cases. The minister further commended parents, teachers, and head teachers for their joint effort in preparation for the examinations.
Nxumalo also mentioned that there were no cases of leakages of examination papers in the 2024 EGCSE/EPCSE examinations. He attributed this achievement to the stringent measures employed by the Exams Council during the examinations in 2024.
