The Ministry of Higher Education has since halted the writing of the affected examination paper at both Tlokweng College of Education and Serowe College of Education to pave the way for investigations.
Confirming the development in an interview, the acting director of Teacher Training and Development, Dintle Rapoo, said the ministry had been informed of the matter and that investigations were ongoing.
“I have been informed about the matter, although I do not yet have full details. However, I can confirm that one Special Education examination paper was stopped following suspicions that it had leaked,” he said.
Rapoo said only the affected examination had been suspended, whilst other examinations were continuing as scheduled.
“We do not yet know who leaked the paper, but I can confirm that a few students are currently under investigation and have been stopped from writing the ongoing examinations,” he said.
He explained that authorities decided to suspend the paper at both colleges because the institutions offer the same programme, and there were fears that the leaked paper could have been shared through digital communication platforms.
“Since technology has made communication easier, there is a possibility that the affected learners might have shared the paper with others, even as far as Serowe College. As a precautionary measure, we stopped the examination of this paper in both institutions,” Rapoo added.
Asked about allegations that a lecturer may have been involved in leaking the paper, Rapoo said the investigation was still in its early stages.
“I do not have such information at the moment. Investigations are ongoing to establish exactly what transpired,” he said.
However, The Monitor has learnt that a male lecturer is suspected to be behind the leak and allegedly sold the examination paper to students for P600. Examination malpractice remains a growing concern in Botswana’s education sector.
According to the 2025 Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) provisional results and reports released by the Botswana Examinations Council in April 2026, several cases of examination malpractice were recorded during the 2025 examination cycle.
Amongst the reported incidents was a serious impersonation case in which two candidates allegedly hired other individuals to sit for examinations on their behalf.
The council also raised concerns about candidates bringing unauthorised materials, particularly mobile phones, into examination rooms during subjects such as Economics and Setswana.
In some cases, candidates reportedly hid mobile phones before entering examination venues in defiance of examination regulations.
Education stakeholders continue to express concern that rising cases of examination malpractice could undermine the credibility and integrity of Botswana’s education system if not addressed decisively.
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