University Of South Africa (UNISA) End-of-Year Examination Progress
Unisa released a statement which included the progress of the 2022 October/November examinations and how the exams were conducted. The university also explained which students would be awarded a second opportunity to rewrite their end-of-examinations.
The University of South Africa (Unisa) stated that most students have become accustomed to online learning and assessments, with fewer students experiencing challenges associated with examination readiness. Improvements have also been made to their learning management system to ensure students were ready for their examinations.
For the past two academic years, Unisa has scheduled semester module supplementary examinations in the January/February examination period. However, due to the normalisation of the 2022 academic year and challenges faced in the semester one academic period, Unisa decided to move the semester module supplementary examinations to May/June 2023.
Therefore, the January/February examination period will only include postgraduate and honours students that have been scheduled to write during that period, year module examinations which are normally written in that period, year module supplementary examinations, and modules converting to different assessment types in the 2023 academic year. Students whose modules are converting to a different type of assessment are advised to refer to module communication for additional information.
Unisa has decided to reinstate its normal scheduling of the FI concessions for students who have one or two modules left to complete their qualification. Students are reminded that FI identification and qualification rules will apply. The FI concession assessment process would be finalised by 13 March 2023.
A new provision in the Assessment Policy has been implemented which allows an undergraduate student writing a module’s examination in the first examination opportunity, an automatic additional opportunity to rewrite their examination.
Paragraph 6.6 of the Assessment Policy refers to:
“A student registered for an undergraduate module is entitled to use two consecutive opportunities per module to take the examination. Except if College rules provide otherwise, a student may write the examination during either the first or the second examination opportunity.”
“A student who takes an examination for the first time during the second examination opportunity and fails is not entitled to an additional examination opportunity. Where a special FI concession was granted to an individual student for a specific module, the student will not be granted a supplementary examination after failing the FI assessment.”
This opportunity, however, does not apply to modules with portfolio, practical, experimental or continuous assessments. Students will need to re-register for the module if they have failed the first examination opportunity.
Postgraduate students are allowed to apply for aegrotat applications if they missed their first examination opportunity to write their online exams, due to loadshedding, network challenges, death in the family or illness during the examination period. Students need to apply within 10 days of their scheduled examination sitting.
Unisa makes use of three proctoring tools for their online examinations. Students were forewarned that the non-use of the proctoring tools would result in their results being withheld.
Students writing a module’s exam in the first examination opportunity and who did not use the required proctoring tools will be allowed to rewrite the exam. However, those who were writing a module’s exam in the second examination opportunity and did not use the required proctoring tools will not be awarded another chance to rewrite, they will need to re-register for the module.
Those who feel aggrieved by their outcome after not using the proctoring tools may appeal the decision with Unisa, before 31 January 2023. If their appeal is successful, their results will be released.
Unisa has a zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism and cheating during online examinations. Students who have been caught cheating or plagiarising have been referred to the Student Disciplinary Office.
Students were instructed to submit their exam answer scripts to the official myExams platforms, however, some may have experienced challenges with the platform and were advised to submit their scripts via the contingency links. The university is aware that some students may have submitted their scripts to the Invigilator App. Unisa is currently processing their marks through alternative processes to accommodate these students.
Those who submitted irrecoverable corrupted scripts will be allowed an additional opportunity to rewrite their exam, however, no further opportunities will be awarded to students after their second opportunity to rewrite. Those students will unfortunately need to re-register for the module.
Students who submitted scripts which were password-protected were contacted during the marking stage to provide the passwords. Those who did not respond and provide their passwords will need to re-register for the module.