AfriForum Youth requests an independent review of the learner’s license test question bank

AfriForum Youth is calling on the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to allow independent language and quality experts to review the question bank for the learner’s licence test. This includes the question and answer options in both Afrikaans and English. The request follows the youth organisation’s continued receipt of numerous public complaints regarding the way questions in the computerised learner’s licence test are formulated, interpreted, and translated.

AfriForum Youth emphasises that the organisation does not necessarily want the learner’s license test to be easier, but rather that candidates should not be disadvantaged by ambiguous questions or poor translations. The organisation says it is a good thing that the Department of Transport intends to implement measures to protect the integrity of the testing system and prevent corruption.

“Young people should pass or fail based on their knowledge of the rules of the road, not because a question or an answer option can be interpreted in more than one way. We believe that an independent language review could further strengthen the system’s credibility and foster public trust,” says Hanno Koster, youth leader of AfriForum Youth.

In the letter, AfriForum Youth proposes that independent language practitioners and experts review the question bank to determine, among other things, whether the Afrikaans translations accurately reflect the English version, whether answer options retain the same meaning in both languages, and whether certain questions are unintentionally ambiguous.

“We would like to work with the department to ensure that this system functions as it should. If there is indeed room for improvement, we believe this should be discussed constructively with the department before any further public action follows,” Koster concludes.

AfriForum Youth previously invited Creecy to take the new learner’s licence test with them.