Exam. irregularities found

Press, 11 March 1983, Page 6

Exam. irregularities found

PA Wellington Education Department officials investigating complaints of leaked School Certificate papers have found irregularities in the examination papers from two secondary schools in Fiji. The department’s director of administration; Mr Brian Richards, said yesterday that he and another representative would travel to Fiji next week to discuss the findings with Fijian Ministry of Education officials. “There were apparent ir-

regularities," he said. “We regard the matter very seriously — any irregularties affect the credibility of the examination,” he said. The examination results from the two schools involved — Sanatan and A.D. Patel Memorial — have still not been issued by the Education Department. Both schools are in Ba. The New Zealand investigations came after a report prepared by the Fiji police on alleged leaked School Certificate papers. Photocopied papers had been found of an

examination before it had been held. Mr Richards said that the Fiji police report had been inconclusive. A decision had not yet been made on what would eventually happen to the results. In the meantime, tempers in Fiji are flaring over New Zealand's decision to withhold the 50 candidates' results.

An education group in Ba has said that the New Zealand Government’s actions have caused anxiety to pupils, staff, and parents and

given the schools a bad name.

It is the second time the Education Department has had problems with the School Certificate examination in Fiji. In 1976. two men stole papers and sold them to candidates in Suva. They were caught and a judge later imprisoned a man. aged 20, for four years and another, aged 19, for three years. Mr Richards said that in the present dispute the culprit had not been identified.