TWO Grade nine pupils at Northrise Basic School in Ndola have been expelled after they were found with Civics examination answers.

Copperbelt provincial education officer Paul Ngoma confirmed the expulsion of the two pupils who were caught with the answers before the actual examination in Civics could start on Monday.

"Their scripts and evidence have been sent to the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) and the pupils have since been excluded from any exams as they will not be allowed to sit for any examinations until after a period of two years," he said.

Mr Ngoma said the pupils were caught by the external invigilators who were supervising the examinations but wondered how they managed to sneak in the answers when they had been thoroughly searched.

"We are conducting the exams according to ECZ regulations and in order to curb exam leakages, we are using external invigilators and supervisors to oversee examinations at the schools in the province," he said.

Mr Ngoma, however, said the problem of examination malpractices was not widespread in the province as this was the first case.