News24 reports that a principal of a North West school was suspended after she kept 19 pupils in her office at the time when they were supposed to be writing Life Sciences paper two.

The principal allegedly summoned the pupils from Moreri Secondary School in Tseoge Village to her office on Monday to chastise them for missing their extra lessons over the weekend. The pupils were only let out of the principal's office 50 minutes before the exam was due to end. As a result, the pupils could not finish their examination in time. North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi, confirmed that the incident took place. He indicated that the principal had been placed on precautionary suspension and the matter referred to the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Asked whether the pupils would be given a chance to rewrite the paper, Malindi said the provincial department would not be able to decide. "This is a national paper, so we have written a report to the Department of Basic Education and Umalusi for advice and to lead us on the directives that we should implement on such a matter," he indicated. Earlier this month, the DBE instituted disciplinary proceedings against a principal of a school in Ekurhuleni after Grade 12 pupils missed their Economics exams. The principal, from Phandimfundo Secondary School in Etwatwa, allegedly told the pupils not to show up for their exam as she feared they would fail.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zandile Khumalo at News24

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