TikTok by 'principal' claiming matric cheated in exam with AI is fake news

Stop sharing fake news about matric exams.

That was the plea from the education department in the Western Cape in response to a TikTok video in which the so-called “principal” of a school that does not exist claimed a matric pupil at “Golden Gates High School” was caught cheating using AI on a cellphone during an English exam on Monday.

The video was widely shared before being taken down by the “principal” who said in a follow-up video: “I have stated that the Golden Gates High School is not real. I have stated I am a satirist, a drama teacher and performer and I am using that to inform the nation about what is happening in education, but it seems that is being taken for granted. I hope people can see the paradox,” she said.  

Education MEC David Maynier confirmed the school did not exist and the video about cheating was fake. “Despite subsequent videos explaining it is some type of parody, the damage has been done,” he said.

“Deliberate fake news of this sort is damaging as it falsely creates doubt about the integrity of the exam process and adds to the anxiety of matrics at a time when they need to focus on the exams.

“Our priority during the exams must be the wellbeing of matrics so they are in the best possible head space when they write each exam. It is the responsibility of each one of us, especially adults, to support our matrics,” he added.

A total of 75,647 candidates will write the National Senior Certificate exams in the province. The subject with the most candidates writing is mathematics literacy and the least (five subjects have a single candidate writing) are Zulu home language, Sepedi home language, Sepedi first additional language, Setswana first additional language and Hebrew second additional language.

The exams will be written at 474 exam centres overseen by 1,809 invigilators.

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