WCED debunks TikTok video claiming a 12th grader was cheated

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has debunked a viral video on social media falsely claiming that a Grade 12 student was caught cheating during final exams. Cape {city} etc reports.

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Originally posted to TikTok on Monday, as Year 12 students began their exams, the 62-second video shows a woman claiming a student was caught cheating the English Newspaper 3 by using AI on his mobile phone.

The video was removed from TikTok but sparked fear among Grade 12 students, prompting WCED to label the video as fake news.

“The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is aware of a video circulating claiming that a student Golden Gates High School was caught cheating during their exam,’ said Education MEC David Maynier.

“There is no school with this name in the Western Cape, and the video is completely fake.”

“Despite later videos explaining that it is some sort of parody, the damage has already been done.”

Maynier emphasized that deliberate fake news undermines the integrity of the exam process and increases student anxiety at this critical time.

He urged everyone in the Western Cape to refrain from sharing such misinformation as it distracts officials from their duties and causes unnecessary panic among students and parents.

‘Our priority during the exam period must be the well-being of our matrics so that they are in the best possible position for each exam. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us, especially adults, to support our mothers in the Western Cape.”

The creator of the original video, @dramaticluna1, later clarified that the intention was not to spread misinformation, but to highlight issues in education.

@dramaticluna1 Breaking my silence #teacher #teachersoftiktok #goldengateshighschool #goldengatesforyou #goldengatesforme #goldengatesforusall #matric #fyp ♬ original sound – Luna | Change maker in education

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