NATIONAL POLICY ON THE CONDUCT,

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE

NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE: A
QUALIFICATION AT LEVEL 4 ON THE
NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
(NQF)
National policy on the conduct, administration and management of the
National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), published by means of Government
Notice No. 564 in Government Gazette No. 30048 of 6 July 2007 and
amended as:

Regulations pertaining to the conduct, administration and management of assessment for

the National Senior Certificate, published by means of Government Notice No. R872 in
Government Gazette No. 31337 of 29 August 2008;
Government Notices No. 1327 and 1328 in Government Gazette, Vol. 522, No.31680 of
12 December 2008; and
Government Notices1041 and 1042 in Government Gazette, Vol.533, No.32678 of 3
November 2009.

i
Department of Basic Education

Sol Plaatje House

123 Schoeman Street
Private Bag X895
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
Tel: +27 12 312-5911
Fax: +27 12 321-6770

120 Plein Street

Private Bag X9023
Cape Town 8000
South Africa
Tel: +27 21 465-1701
Fax: +27 21 461-8110

http://education.gov.za

© Department of Basic Education

ISBN: 16 October 2009

ii
 CONTENTS
Page
CONTENTS iii

ANNEXURES xi

DEFINITIONS xiii

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Introduction 1

2. Assessment in the National Senior Certificate 3

CHAPTER 2

FUNCTIONS ACCORDED TO VARIOUS QUALITY

ASSURANCE AND ASSESSMENT BODIES 5

3. Bodies involved in quality assurance or assessment of the

National Senior Certificate 5

CHAPTER 3

CONDUCT OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

AND PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT TASKS 7

4. Requirements for School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment

Tasks: Minimum Norms and Standards 7

iii
5. Compilation of the School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment
Tasks mark: Minimum Norms and Standards 9

6. Monitoring and moderation of School-Based Assessment

and Practical Assessment Tasks: Minimum Norms and Standards 12

CHAPTER 4

CANDIDATES TO BE ASSESSED 13

7. Admission: General Minimum Norms and Standards 13

8. Admission of a candidate: Minimum Norms and Standards 13

9. Requirements for the offering of subjects of other assessment bodies

that are approved by the Minister of Basic Education
for this purpose: Minimum Norms and Standards 16

10. Entrance requirements of the Endorsed National Senior Certificate:

Minimum Norms and Standards 17

11. Registration of candidates: Minimum Norms and Standards 18

12. Entries: Minimum Norms and Standards 18

13: Fees: Minimum Norms and Standards 19

14. Assessment policies and guidelines: Minimum Norms and Standards 20

15. Language medium related to the examination question paper:

iv
 Minimum Norms and Standards 20

16. Concessions: Minimum Norms and Standards 21

17. Absentees: Minimum Norms and Standards 22

18. Supplementary examination: Minimum Norms and Standards 23

19. Conduct of the National Senior Certificate examination beyond

the borders of the Republic of South Africa:
Minimum Norms and Standards 25

CHAPTER 5

PREPARATION FOR THE NATIONAL SENIOR

CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION 28

20. Management plan relating to the examination:

Minimum Norms and Standards 28

21. The Examination Cycle: Minimum Norms and Standards 29

22. Examination Timetable: Minimum Norms and Standards 30

23. Appointment of examiners and internal moderators:

Minimum Norms and Standards 30

24. Responsibilities of chief examiners, examiners and internal moderators:

Minimum Norms and Standards 31
25. Processing of examination question papers: Minimum
Norms and Standards 36

v
26. Storage and distribution of examination question papers: Minimum
Norms and Standards 37

CHAPTER 6

CONDUCTING THE EXAMINATION 38

27. Establishment and registration of examination centres:

Minimum Norms and Standards 38

28. An agreement between a provincial assessment body and an

independent school 39

29. De-registration of examination centres: Minimum Norms

and Standards 40

30. Appointment and duties of chief invigilators and invigilators:

Minimum Norms and Standards 43

31. Information to candidates: Minimum Norms and Standards 43

32. Monitoring of the National Senior Certificate examination:

Minimum Norms and Standards 44

33. Visits to the centres by monitoring teams: Minimum Norms

and Standards 45

vi
CHAPTER 7

RECORDING AND REPORTING OF ASSESSMENT FOR THE

NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE 46

34. Scale of achievement: Minimum Norms and Standards 46

CHAPTER 8

THE MARKING PROCESS 47

35. Appointment of markers: Minimum Norms and Standards 47

36. Appointment of markers: Guidelines 48

37. Establishment of marking centres: Minimum Norms and Standards 48

38. Marking centres: Minimum Norms and Standards 49

39. Marking procedures: Minimum Norms and Standards 50

40. Marking procedures: Guidelines 51

CHAPTER 9

PROCESSING OF MARKS 52

41. Processing of marks: Minimum: Norms and Standards 52

42. Capturing of marks by trained staff: Norms and Standards 52

vii
43. Standardisation: Minimum: Norms and Standards 52

44. Release of results: Minimum Norms 53

CHAPTER 10

RE-MARKING, RE-CHECKING AND VIEWING OF EXAMINATION

ANSWER SCRIPTS 54

45. Re-marking and re-checking of examination answer scripts: Minimum

Norms and Standards 54

46. Viewing of examination answer scripts: Minimum Norms and Standards 55

CHAPTER 11

DEALING WITH IRREGULARITIES 57

47. Dealing with irregularities: Minimum Norms and Standards 57

48. Release of results under investigation: Minimum Norms and

Standards 58

49. Dealing with irregularities: Guidelines 59

viii
CHAPTER 12

SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY 60

50. Security and confidentiality: Minimum Norms and Standards 60

51. The use of outside agents: Minimum Norms and Standards 61

CHAPTER 13

ACCESS TO EXAMINATION INFORMATION 62

52. Access to examination information: Minimum Norms

and Standards 62

53. Access to certification information: Minimum

Norms and Standards 63

54. Accessibility of examination and certification information: Minimum

Norms and Standards 63

CHAPTER 14

HISTORICAL RECORDS (ARCHIVING) AND DATA RETENTION 64

55. Copies of historical certification records and data retention:

Minimum Norms and Standards 64

56. Access to historical records 64

ix
CHAPTER 15

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXAMINATION COMPUTER

SYSTEM, AND DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENT CONTROL
PERTAINING TO THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM 65

57. Minimum requirements for an examination computer system:

Minimum Norms and Standards 65

58. Documents and document control pertaining to the examination system:

Minimum Norms and Standards 65

CHAPTER 16

EDUCATION BOARDS 67

59. The establishment of examination boards: Minimum Norms

and Standards 67

CHAPTER 17

REPEAL OF THE POLICY DOCUMENT, RÉSUMÉ OF

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMES IN SCHOOLS,
REPORT 550 (2001/08) AND TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 68

60. Repeal of Report 550 (2001/08) 68

61. Transitional arrangements 68

62. Short title and commencement 71

x
 ANNEXURES

Page

ANNEXUREA: ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES RELATING TO

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA) AND
PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT MARKS 72

ANNEXURE B: THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SUBJECTS

OFFERED BY OTHER ASSESSMENT BODIES 77

ANNEXURE C: REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OFFERING

OF MUSIC PROGRAMMES BY
ACCREDITED ASSESSMENT BODIES 79

ANNEXURE D: APPOINTMENT OF EXAMINERS

AND INTERNAL MODERATORS:
AN EXCERPT FROM THE PERSONNEL
ADMINISTRATION MEASURES 83

ANNEXURE E: EXAMINATION PANELS 84

ANNEXURE F: PROCESSING OF EXAMINATION

QUESTION PAPERS 85

xi
ANNEXURE G: PRACTICAL EXAMINATION IN
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 87

ANNEXURE H: PRO FORMA SERVICE CONTRACT

ENTERED INTO BY, AND BETWEEN THE
PROVINCIAL ASSESSMENT BODY AND AN
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL 99

ANNEXURE I: APPOINTMENT AND DUTIES OF

CHIEF INVIGILATORS AND INVIGILATORS 105

ANNEXURE J: RETURN OF EXAMINATION ANSWER SCRIPTS 122

ANNEXURE K: APPOINTMENT OF MARKERS: AN EXCERPT

FROM THE PERSONNE ADMINISTRATION
MEASURES 123

ANNEXURE L: MARKING PROCEDURES 125

ANNEXURE M: DEALING WITH DISCIPLINE AND MISCONDUCT –

EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES 126

ANNEXURE N: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR

A COMPUTER SYSTEM 177

ANNEXURE O: EXAMINATION BOARDS 180

xii
 DEFINITIONS

In this policy document, any word or expression to which meaning has been assigned in
the Act, shall have the meaning so assigned to it, unless the content indicates otherwise.

“act of misconduct” means misbehaving, creating a disturbance or wilfully

disobeying legitimate instructions, which may have an
adverse effect on the examination process or the outcome
of the examination;

“administrative errors
or omissions” means irregularities that are of a technical nature, where the
candidate or an examination official unintentionally fails to
follow the prescribed administrative procedure. The
candidate may be disadvantaged by this error or omission;

“assessment body” means the body accredited by Umalusi, the Council for
Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and
Training, in terms of section 16(6) of the General and
Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act,
2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001), as the body responsible for the
administration of the National Senior Certificate
examination;

“assessment irregularity” means any event, act or omission, or any alleged event, act
or omission, which may undermine or threaten to
undermine the integrity, credibility, security or the fairness
of the examination and assessment process;

“behavioural offence” means misbehaving, creating a disturbance or wilfully

disobeying legitimate instructions, which may have an

xiii
 adverse effect on the examination process or the outcome
of the examinations;

“candidate” means a learner who has completed the National Senior

Certificate programme and who has registered for the
National Senior Certificate final examinations;

“chief examiner” is the person who manages the process of setting the
examination question papers and takes responsibility for
the quality and standard of the examination question paper;

“Chief Executive Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer contemplated in section
11 of the General and Further Education and Training
Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (No. 58 of 2001);

“chief invigilator” is the Principal of a registered examination centre or

another person specifically appointed in that capacity who
is accountable and responsible for the administration of the
examination of the National Senior Certificate and other
related assessment matters, at the examination centre;

“chief marker” means a person responsible for the marking of an external

examination question paper, written under the auspices of a
provincial education department accredited by Umalusi as
an assessment body;

“Department of
Education” means the national department responsible for education;

“deputy chief marker” is a person who assists the Chief Marker with the final
marking of an external examination question paper;

xiv
“District
Assessment Irregularities”
Committee(DAIC) means the District Assessment Irregularities Committee,
established by the provincial Head of Department, to
coordinate the handling of examination and internal
assessment irregularities at a district or regional level;

“evidence of learner
performance” means the collection of the learner’s work that is used to
compile his or her internal assessment mark;

“examination” means the National Senior Certificate examination

conducted at the end of the year;

“examination centre” A centre registered by a provincial education department in

terms of Section 18 of the General and Further Education
and Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of
2001) for the purpose of administering the National Senior
Certificate examination;

“examination
Irregularity” means any event, act or omission, or any alleged event, act
or omission, which may undermine or threaten to
undermine the integrity, credibility, security or the fairness
of the examination process;

“examination process” means, but is not limited to, the complete process relating
to the examination cycle that includes, amongst others, the
registration of candidates, the setting of the examination
question papers, moderation, the security, the marking and

xv
 processing of results, and the certification thereof, to ensure
integrity of such examination;

“examination sitting” is either a main examination sitting or a supplementary

examination sitting;

“grade” means that part of an educational programme, which a

learner may complete in one school year, or any other
education programme, which the Member of the Executive
Council (MEC) may deem to be equivalent thereto;

“Head of an assessment
body” means the Head of a Provincial Education Department and
the Head of an independent assessment body;

“immediate family” means father, mother, brother, sister, grandparents,

husband, wife, legal partner and children;

“imposter” means any person who sits and writes the examination
illegally on behalf of a candidate;

“independent school” means a school defined in terms of section 1 of the South

African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996);

“internal assessment” means an assessment, defined in section 1 of the General

and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance
Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001);

“investigation” means the investigation contemplated in Paragraph 49;

xvi
“invigilator” means any person appointed to assist the chief invigilator
with the conducting of an examination-related activity at
the examination centre;

“learner” means a learner, contemplated in section 1 of the South

African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996);

“marker” is a person who is appointed to mark an external

examination question paper;

“marking centre manager” is an official appointed to be responsible for the

management and administration of a marking centre;

“MEC” means a Member of the Executive Council, contemplated

in section 1 of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No.
84 of 1996);

“moderation” means the moderation defined in section 1 of the General

and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance
Act, 2001 (Act No.58 of 2001);

“moderator” means a person, defined in section 1 of the General and

Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act,
2001 (Act No.58 of 2001);

“National Senior
Certificate” means a qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF) that will be awarded in
2008 for the first time to Grade 12 candidates who comply
with the national policy requirements set out in the policy

xvii
 document, National Senior Certificate: A qualification at
Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF);

“NEB” means an advisory body, established by the Minister of

Basic Education, to advise the Minister on all matters
relating to examinations and assessment;

“NEIC” means the National Examinations Irregularities Committee,

established by the Minister of Basic Education, to
coordinate the handling of irregularities identified during
internal assessments and examinations;

“PEB” means and advisory body, established by the MEC in the

province, to advise the MEC on all matters relating to
examinations and assessment;

“PEIC” means a Provincial Examinations Irregularities Committee,

contemplated in Paragraph 49;

“Personnel
Administration
Measures (PAM)” means measures that govern the remuneration and other
service conditions of teachers employed in terms of the
Employment of Educators’ Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998;

“preparatory examination” means an examination, conducted by an assessment body,

prior to the final examination, in order to allow candidates
an opportunity to write a full-scale examination in
preparation for the final examination;

xviii
“provincial education
department” means an education department, contemplated in section 1
of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of
1996);

“SACE” means the South African Council for Educators is, in terms
of the Employment of Educators’ Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of
1998), a statutory body;

“SAIC” means the School Assessment Irregularities Committee

established by the school to deal with all irregularities
identified during assessment;

“senior marker” means a person who assists the Chief Marker in the
marking process and takes responsibility for a group of
markers at the marking centre;

“service contract” means an agreement between a provincial education

department and an independent examination centre that
desires to write examinations administered by a provincial
assessment body;

“subject assessment
guidelines” means guideline documents developed by the relevant
assessment body to specify the internal and external
assessment requirements for each of the listed subjects in
the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), Grades 10-12;

“supplementary
Examination” means an examination contemplated in paragraph 20;

xix
“teacher portfolio” means the full and final record of all the assessment tasks
completed by the learner and kept by the teacher as
evidence of an internal assessment mark for a particular
subject for assessment with regard to the National Senior
Certificate. The teacher portfolio will also include marking
guidelines and assessment rubrics;

Umalusi means the Council, contemplated in section 1 of the

General and Further Education and Training Quality
Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001.

xx
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Introduction

(1) Section 3(4)(l) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (No. 27 of
1996) makes provision for the determination of national education policy
regarding curriculum frameworks, core syllabuses and education
programmes, learning standards, examinations and the certification of
qualifications. This provision is subject to the provisions of any law
establishing a national qualifications framework or a certifying or
accrediting body.

(2) The policy stipulated in this document is only applicable to public schools
and those independent schools that write the National Senior Certificate
examination set by the Department of Basic Education.

(3) This policy document forms the basis for the Minister of Basic Education
to determine minimum outcomes and standards, as well as the processes
and procedures for the assessment of learner achievement as stipulated in
section 6A of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)
which is applicable to public and independent schools.

(4) The outcomes and standards determined in terms of section 6(A) of the
South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act. No. 84 of 1996) will be translated
into regulations in terms of section 61 of the said act. All assessment
bodies must give effect to the regulations.

1
(5) This document provides the necessary policy support for developing,
organising, structuring and implementing an assessment framework for the
National Senior Certificate.

(6) This policy document focuses on assessment policy for both internal
assessment (School-Based Assessment), and National Senior Certificate
examinations.

(7) This policy provides rules and conditions relating to the conduct and
administration of School-Based Assessment and the external examination
of the National Senior Certificate. This serves to govern the rights and
privileges of all persons involved in the School-Based Assessment and
external examination processes, such as officials and teachers.

(8) This policy document is aimed at quality assurance and must be read in
conjunction with the following policy and guideline documents:

(a) The National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the

National Qualifications Framework (NQF;

(b) An addendum to the policy document, the National Senior

Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the National
Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12);

(c) An addendum to the policy document, the National Senior

Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding learners with special
needs;

2
 (d) Subject Statements for the various subjects in the National
Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades 10-12.

(e) Subject Assessment Guidelines for the various subjects in the

National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12.

(10) National policy on assessment is also contained in the following policy

documents and all assessment bodies must comply with the prescriptions
as set out in these documents:

(a) Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education: Building

an Inclusive Education and Training System that provides a policy
framework for the transformation of practices related to assessment
and examinations in general with a view to achieving enabling
mechanisms to support learners who experience barriers to
learning; and

(b) Regulations under the General and Further Education and

Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001).

(c) Directives issued by Umalusi.

2. Assessment in the National Senior Certificate

(1) The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 is the curriculum that
underpins the policy for the National Senior Certificate.

(2) Assessment refers to gathering evidence to make a judgment or describe

the status of learning of an individual or group. Assessment should be
linked to learning and teaching and not be viewed or conducted in
isolation. The main aim of assessment is not simply to judge the outcome

3
 of learning, but to provide a supportive and positive mechanism that helps
learners to improve their learning, and teachers to improve their teaching.

(3) Assessment in the National Senior Certificate comprises School-Based

Assessment and external examinations.

(4) School-Based Assessment allows for learners to be assessed on a regular

basis during the school year and also allows for the assessment of skills
that cannot be assessed under examination conditions. School-Based
Assessment includes a variety of assessment methods.

(5) The purpose of external examinations is to provide reliable and fair

measures of the achievements of learners across the country in the subjects
offered.

(6) School-Based Assessment and external examinations are designed to

address the learning outcomes, assessment standards, content
competencies, skills, values and attitudes of the subject, and to provide
learners, parents and teachers with results that are meaningful indications
of what the learners know, understand and can do at the time of the
assessment.

4
 CHAPTER 2

FUNCTIONS ACCORDED TO VARIOUS QUALITY ASSURANCE

AND EXAMINATION BODIES

3. Bodies involved in quality assurance or assessment of the National Senior

Certificate

(1) The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act,
2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001) lists the following bodies to be involved with
quality assurance or assessment of the National Senior Certificate:

(a) Umalusi, the Quality Council for General and Further and
Education and Training must in terms of section 27(i) of the
National Qualifications Framework Act,2008 (Act No. 67 of 2008):

(i) develop and implement policy for quality assurance;

(ii) ensure the integrity and credibility of quality assurance; and
(iii) ensure that such quality assurance as is necessary for the
General and Further Education and Training sub-
framework is undertaken.

(b) Provincial education departments are accredited by the Umalusi

Council in terms of section 22 of the General and Further
Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58
of 2001) as assessment bodies responsible for the conduct,
administration and management of the National Senior Certificate
examination in their respective provinces.

5
(c) Provincial education departments are responsible for the
administration of the National Senior Certificate examination for
all public schools in the respective provinces and any other school
that registers with the provincial education department to write the
National Senior Certificate examination.

(d) Assessment bodies accredited by Umalusi in terms of section 16(6)

of the General and Further Education and Training Quality
Assurance Act, 2001 (Act No. 58 of 2001) as assessment bodies,
are responsible for the conduct of the National Senior Certificate
examination for schools registered with these assessment bodies
for the administration of the National Senior Certificate.

(e) Independent schools writing the National Senior Certificate

examination question papers set by the Department of Basic
Education must enter into a contract that governs the relationship
between the provincial education department and the school.

6
 CHAPTER 3

CONDUCT OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT AND PRACTICAL

ASSESSMENT TASKS

4. Requirements for School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment Tasks:

Minimum Norms and Standards

Requirements for School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment Tasks

(1) A School-Based Assessment mark is a compulsory component of the final

promotion mark for all candidates registered for the National Senior
Certificate (Annexure A).

(2) The School-Based Assessment mark must count 25% of the final
promotion mark in Grade 12.

(3) In the case of Life Orientation, the final promotion mark will be based on
School-Based Assessment, which must be externally moderated.
Monitoring and moderation mechanisms will be determined by the
Department of Basic Education, the assessment body and Umalusi.

(4) The composition of the School-Based Assessment of all subjects is

outlined in the policy document, An addendum to the policy document, the
National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the National Protocol for
Assessment (Grades R – 12), published in Government Gazette, No. 29467
of 11 December 2006.

7
(5) In Grade 12, School-Based Assessment must be moderated by the
Department of Basic Education, the assessment body and Umalusi.

(6) A Practical Assessment Task mark is a compulsory component of the final

promotion mark for all candidates registered for the following National
Senior Certificate subjects.

(a) Arts: Dance Studies, Design, Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual
Arts;
(b) Languages: Oral mark;
(c) Technology: Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, Mechanical
Technology and Engineering Graphics and Design;
(d) Life Orientation;
(e) Computer Sciences: Computer Applications Technology and
Information Technology; and
(f) Services: Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies and Tourism.

(7) The Practical Assessment Task mark must count 25% of the end-of-year
examination mark (Annexure A).

(8) In the case of Life Orientation, the Physical Education Task (PET)
constitutes the fifth task and is administered across all four school terms.
The mark allocation for the PET (Task 5) is 25% of the total mark out of
400 for Life Orientation, i.e. 100 marks.

(9) The composition of the Practical Assessment Task of all subjects listed in
subparagraph (1) is outlined in the policy document, An addendum to the
policy document, the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level
4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the
National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12).

8
 (10) In Grade 12, Practical Assessment Tasks must be moderated by Umalusi.

5. Compilation of the School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment

mark: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Both School-Based Assessment and the Practical Assessment Task

components must:

(a) comprise assessment tasks that constitute the learners’ School-

Based Assessment and Practical Assessment mark;

(b) include a mark awarded for each assessment task and a

consolidated mark;

(c) be guided by assessment components as specified for each subject

in the policy document, An addendum to the policy document, the
National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the
National Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the
National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12);

(d) be available for monitoring and moderation; and

(e) be evaluated, checked and authenticated by the teacher before

being presented as the learner’s evidence of performance.

(2) The teacher portfolio of assessment tasks must –

(a) be a complete record of assessment in that particular subject;

(b) be maintained by the teacher for every subject taught in respect of

the National Senior Certificate; and

9
 (c) be available for monitoring and moderation purposes at every
level.

(3) Failure by the teacher to maintain a portfolio of assessment tasks

constitutes an act of misconduct and will be dealt with in terms of the
Employment of Educators’ Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998), or other
appropriate measures.

(4) The absence of a School-Based Assessment and/or a Practical Assessment

Task mark in any subject, without a valid reason, will result in the
candidate, registered for that particular subject, receiving an incomplete
result. The candidate will be given three months to submit outstanding
work or present himself or herself for School-Based Assessment and/or a
Practical Assessment Task. Should the candidate fail to fulfil the
outstanding School-Based Assessment and/or Practical Assessment Task
requirements, such a candidate will not be resulted and he or she must
repeat the subject and redo the School-Based Assessment and/or Practical
Assessment Task component for that subject.

(5) In the event of a learner not complying with the requirements of School-
Based Assessment and/or Practical Assessment Task, but where a valid
reason is provided:

(a) He or she may be granted another opportunity to be assessed in the

assigned tasks, based on a decision by the Head of the assessment
body.

(b) The learner must, within three calendar months from the date on
which the opportunity is granted, submit outstanding work or
present himself or herself for School-Based Assessment and/or

10
 Practical Assessment Task. Should the candidate fail to fulfil the
outstanding School-Based and/or Practical Assessment Task
Assessment requirements, he or she, registered for that particular
subject will receive an incomplete result.

(6) “Valid reason” in this context includes the following:

(a) illness, supported by a valid medical certificate, issued by a

registered medical practitioner;

(b) humanitarian reasons, which includes the death of an immediate

family member, supported by a death certificate;

(c) the learner appearing in a court hearing, which must be supported

by written evidence; or

(d) any other reason as may be accepted as valid by the Head of the
assessment body or his or her representative.

(7) In the event of a learner failing to comply with the School-Based

Assessment and/or Practical Assessment Task requirements of a particular
subject, and where valid reasons are provided, the evidence of such valid
reasons must be included with the evidence of learner performance.

(8) Where the subject teacher fails to give learners the minimum tasks for
School-Based Assessment and/or Practical Assessment Task in the subject
for which he or she is responsible, marks will be adjusted accordingly as
stipulated in the policy document, An addendum to the policy document,
the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the National Protocol for
Assessment (Grades R – 12). The matter must be resolved by the

11
 Department of Basic Education and the assessment body in consultation
with Umalusi.

(9) Umalusi must issue directives for School-Based Assessment in order to

ensure the reliability of assessment outcomes. These directives must
include measures for the verification of assessment.

(10) The Head of the assessment body must monitor the implementation of
School-Based Assessment and the Practical Assessment Task and must
report, in writing and without delay, any irregularity that is identified, as
well as the steps taken to deal with such irregularity, to Umalusi and to the
Director-General of the Department of Basic Education.

6. Monitoring and moderation of School-Based Assessment and Practical

Assessment Task mark: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) All School-Based Assessment and the Practical Assessment Task must be
subject to monitoring and moderation by the Department of Basic
Education, the assessment body and Umalusi.

(2) Monitoring should determine whether the minimum requirements for

School-Based Assessment and the Practical Assessment Task in a
particular subject have been met in terms of the frequency and
components.

(3) Moderation should ensure that the quality and standard of the School-Based
Assessment and the Practical Assessment Task, as contemplated in the policy
document, An addendum to the policy document, the National Senior Certificate:
A qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),
regarding the National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12, have been met.

12
 CHAPTER 4

CANDIDATES TO BE ASSESSED

7. Admission: General: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Public and independent schools and assessment bodies must ensure that
candidates have complied with the School-Based Assessment
requirements as stipulated in the policy document, An addendum to the
policy document, the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level
4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the
National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12).

(2) All learners attending public schools must write the National Senior
Certificate examination of the Department of Basic Education, except in
cases where the subject offered by the candidate is not examined by the
Department of Basic Education but by another assessment body.

8. Admission of a candidate: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Full-time candidate

A full-time candidate who enters for the National Senior Certificate

examination must comply with the following requirements:

(a) Enrol for tuition as a full-time learner at a public or independent

school or any other registered institution, offering an NSC course
of study;

13
 (b) Enrol for a NSC course of study that will be completed prior to the
date of commencement of the examination;

(c) Enrol for seven or more National Curriculum Statement Grades

10-12 (General) subjects; and

(d) Comply with all, oral and Practical Assessment Task requirements
where applicable.

(2) Full-time learners in Grade 12 may register for additional subjects for the
National Senior Certificate, subject to the following conditions:

(a) The candidate has obtained written permission from the Head of
Department or his or her nominee;

(b) The candidate has offered and passed the additional subject/s in
Grade 10 and Grade 11;

(c) The candidate will meet the requirements for School-Based

Assessment and Practical Assessment Task components for the
specific subjects;

(d) If the additional subject that the candidate wishes to offer is not
presented at the centre of registration, the candidate must obtain
the approval of the head of the centre where he or she has
registered, as well as the permission of the head of the institution
or accredited examination body where the additional subject will
be offered.

(e) The institution offering the additional subject must forward the
School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment Task

14
 components marks to the centre of registration prior to
commencement of the written examination; and

(f) The school or learning institution where the learner is registered

must capture all School-Based Assessment and Practical
Assessment Task components marks of the learners correctly and
the relevant forms on which these marks are captured must be
signed by the principal to confirm the correctness thereof.

(g) A candidate registered for an additional subject must sit for the
final examination at the centre of registration. Where this is not
possible, special permission must be obtained from the Head of
Examinations.

(3) A part-time candidate is a learner who has enrolled at an institution that

does not offer tuition on a full-time basis.

(a) A part-time candidate may enroll for any number of subjects in one
examination sitting.

(b) A part-time candidate must:

(i) Complete the programme requirements for Grades 10, 11

and 12 separately;

(ii) Comply with the School-Based Assessment, oral and

Practical Assessment Task requirements for Grades 10, 11
and 12 where applicable; and

15
 (iii) Comply with the external assessment requirements of
Grade 12 as contemplated in the Subject Statements and the
Subject Assessment Guidelines of the various subjects.

(4) A candidate who has failed the National Senior Certificate examination
and/or the supplementary examination and who wants improve his results
or satisfy the outstanding requirements for the National Senior Certificate
will be regarded as a repeat candidate. Such candidate will be allowed to
meet the requirements within a maximum period of three (3) years,
following the date of the first National Senior Certificate examinations
written by the candidate.

(5) A repeat candidate need not receive full-time tuition at a public or

independent school.

(6) The School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment Task mark

obtained by a part-time candidate in his or her last National Senior
Certificate examinations will be valid for a period of two (2) years after
the completion of the first National Senior Certificate examinations
written by the candidate.

9. Requirements for the offering of subjects of other assessment bodies that are
approved by the Minister of Basic Education for this purpose: Minimum
Norms and Standards

(1) An assessment body that wishes to offer additional subjects as part of the
National Senior Certificate must comply with the requirements set out in
Annexure C.

16
 (2) The Minister of Basic Education approves additional subjects to be offered
by learners, subject to certain conditions, as part of the 7-subject package
(Annexure D).

10. Entrance requirements of the Endorsed National Senior Certificate:

Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Learners with special needs who have obtained a Grade 9 certificate or its
equivalent, may enroll for the Endorsed National Senior Certificate in
Grade 10. The qualification will only be available to:

(a) Learners with extensive special needs who are in special schools;
or

(b) Learners in mainstream who have been identified and assessed for
placement in special schools and who are on the waiting list for
admission to special schools; or

(c) Learners in mainstream who have been identified and assessed for
placement in special schools, but who have opted to remain in
mainstream schools.

(2) The evaluation of learners with special needs as contemplated in sub-

paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) must be verified by the relevant support
structures at the various provincial education departments. The final
approval is the decision of the Head of Education.

17
11. Registration of candidates: Minimum Norms and standards

(1) The deadline for the registration of candidates for the National Senior
Certificate examination is 15 March of the year of the examination. No
registrations should be accepted after this date unless the Head of
Department or his or her representative approves such registration based
on exceptional circumstance.

(2) Candidates who write a supplementary examination and are unsuccessful

will be given 15 working days following the release of the supplementary
results to register for the examination.

(3) The registration details of the candidate are required for the processing of
the candidate's final results and therefore provincial education departments
must ensure that candidates' information is accurately captured. The
information furnished on the entry forms must be processed by the
relevant provincial education departments and sent back to examination
centres for checking prior to the start of the National Senior Certificate
examination. At this stage only corrections should be made. Entry forms
developed by the Department of Basic Education in consultation with the
provincial education departments, should be used.

(4) Transfer of a candidate from one province to the other must be mutually
agreed upon by the provincial education departments concerned. If no
mutual agreement is obtained, the matter must be referred to the Director-
General of the Department of Basic Education for intervention.

18
12. Entries: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Learners should be provided with appropriate advice and guidance with
regard to subject choices at school and this should commence not later
than Grade 9.

(2) The Head of the Institution may recommend to the Provincial Head of
Department the cancellation of an entry of a candidate after the entry has
been accepted, if the candidate is irregular in attendance and/or has
committed a serious misdemeanour. The Provincial Head of Department
must apply his or her mind to the circumstance and his or her decision is
final.

13. Fees: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Director-General of the Department Education, following consultation

with the Heads of Education Departments’ Committee (HEDCOM), may
determine fees for: -

(a) Re-marking of answer scripts, which must be refunded to the

candidate if the re-marking results in an improvement of the
symbol;

(b) Writing of the examinations;

(c) Re-checking of examination scripts;

(d) Viewing of examination scripts; and

(e) the verification of qualifications other than those verified by

Umalusi.

19
 (f) the re-issuing of a statement of results.

(2) Candidates may be exempt from paying examination-related fees, if the

candidate can prove that he or she has been exempt from the payment of
school fees in terms of the poverty-ranking formula or attended a no-fee-
school.

(3) A candidate may appeal to the Member of the Executive Council against a
decision by the Head of Department regarding non-exemption from
payment of such fees.

14. Assessment policies and guidelines: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Accredited examination bodies must comply with the policy document, An
addendum to the policy document, the National Senior Certificate: A
qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),
regarding the National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12), and with
the Subject Assessment Guideline documents of the Department of Basic
Education.

15. Language Medium related to the examination question paper: Minimum

Norms and Standards

(1) Examination question papers must be set in the language of learning and
teaching (LOLT). Unless otherwise directed in the examination question
paper, candidates must answer all questions in the language of instruction
applicable to the candidate.

(2) Examination questions in other languages must be answered in the

language specified.

20
16. Concessions: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The following concessions in respect of languages may be applied to

candidates who experience barriers related to deafness, aphasia and
dyslexia:

(a) Deaf candidates may offer only one (1) official language at First
Additional level, provided that another subject from Group B is
offered in lieu of the one official language that is not offered,
provided further that such deaf candidate complies with the
promotion requirements as contemplated in paragraph 11(1)(e) of
the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the
National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(b) Aphasic and dyslectic candidates may offer only one (1) official
language at First Additional level, provided that another subject
from Group B, listed in the document, National Senior Certificate:
A qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF), is offered in lieu of the one official language
that is not offered.

(c) Candidates suffering from a mathematical disorder such as

dyscalculia may be exempted from the offering of Mathematical
Literacy or Mathematics, provided that another subject from
Groups A or B, listed in the document, National Senior Certificate:
A qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF), is offered in lieu of Mathematical Literacy or
Mathematics, provided further that such candidate complies with
the promotion requirements as contemplated in paragraph 11(1)(e)

21
 of the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(d) All applications for the concessions listed in paragraph16(1)(a),

(b) and (c) must be directed to the relevant provincial education
departments when the learner enters Grade 10, or immediately
after the learner has been identified with the learning disorder as
contemplated in paragraph16(1)(a), (b) and (c).

(e) All requests must be substantiated by evaluations by the provincial

internal structures responsible for learners with special education
needs, as well as external professional registered expertise in the
relevant fields contemplated in sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c).

(f) White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive

Education and Training System (2001), guides policies related to
learners experiencing barriers to learning.

17. Absentees: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) In the case of illness or any other circumstances beyond the control of the
candidate, medical certificates, affidavits or acceptable proof are to be
provided by the candidate and countersigned by the Head of the Institution
concerned before submission to the provincial education department.
Where the authenticity of a candidate's claim is in doubt, the Head of the
Institution is to advise the Head of Department in writing, and then
investigate the matter further.

(2) Candidates who absent themselves from the end-of-year external

examinations or scheduled School-Based Assessment tasks for no valid
reason, must not be permitted to enter the supplementary examination.

22
 (3) If a candidate is unable to write (or complete) one or more of the National
Senior Certificate examination question papers for reasons other than
illness or injury, a written report in which the circumstances are set out,
must be submitted by the Head of the Institution.

18. Supplementary examination: Minimum Norms and Standards

A supplementary examination will be granted under the following conditions to a

full-time, repeat and part-time candidate:

(1) If a candidate has not met the minimum promotion and certification
requirements, but requires a maximum of two subjects to obtain the
National Senior Certificate, he or she may:

(a) Register for a maximum of two subjects for the supplementary

examination in the following year. These subjects, subject to
subparagraph (c), must be subjects that he or she sat for in the
previous end-of-year examination. This option may only be
exercised once by a part-time candidate, namely after completion
of the National Senior Certificate, that is his or her final end-of-
year examination.

(b) Register for Life Orientation, which is internally assessed, as one

of the two subjects to be registered for the supplementary
examination in subregulation (a). The re-assessment of Life
Orientation must be completed within the period in which the
supplementary examination is conducted.

23
2 Candidates that repeat one or more subjects must be allowed to combine
their subjects based on the current National Senior Certificate
requirements to obtain a National Senior Certificate.

3 In combining these subjects contemplated in subparagraph (2), the

performance in the seven (7) subjects will be taken into consideration,
provided that it meets the programme requirements of the National Senior
Certificate as contemplated in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the policy document
. National Senior Certificate: A Qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), promulgated in Government Gazette
No. 27819 as Government Notice, No 744 of 20 July 2005.

(4) If a candidate is medically unfit and, as a result, is absent from one or

more external examinations, he or she may register for the supplementary
examination.

(5) A candidate that does not satisfy the minimum higher education, higher
education faculty requirements or the requirements for the specific
occupation in the end-of-year examination may be allowed in terms of the
following to register for the supplementary examination in the year
following the end-of-year National Senior Certificate examination, in a
maximum of two subjects:

(a) a candidate who is one requirement short in meeting the minimum

admission requirements for Higher Certificate, Diploma and
Bachelor’s degree programmes requiring a National Senior
Certificate; or

(b) a candidate that provides documentary evidence that he or she

qualifies for admission to a higher education institution or for an
occupation, but does not satisfy the higher education faculty

24
 requirements or the requirements for the specific occupation. For
this purpose, the end-of-year and the supplementary examinations
will be regarded as one examination sitting.

(6) If there is a death in the immediate family of a candidate, or other special

reasons for the candidate’s absence, he or she may register for the
supplementary examination.

(7) In cases contemplated in subregulations (1) to (4) above, the School-

Based Assessment of the Grade 12-year will be used, including practical
or oral assessment marks where applicable, in order to meet the School-
Based Assessment and external examination requirements.

(8) In a case where an irregularity is being investigated, provisional enrolment

for the supplementary examination may be granted to the candidate
concerned, pending the outcome of the investigation.

(9) A candidate who did not write or complete the end-of year examination
with a valid reason has the opportunity to write the supplementary
examination for the specific examination question paper that he or she did
not write in the end-of-year-examination. However, should the candidate
select to write the entire subject, even though he or she has been absent for
one or more examination question papers, the candidate should be allowed
to exercise this option.

19. Conduct of the National Senior Certificate examination beyond the borders
of the Republic of South Africa: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The following candidates will be considered for the National Senior
Certificate examination outside the borders of the country:

25
 (a) Candidates abroad who are citizens of the Republic of South
Africa and have registered for the National Senior Certificate
examination and who have fully complied with the School-Based
Assessment requirements as contemplated in the Subject
Assessment Guidelines of the various subjects;

(b) Children of diplomats or personnel of the Embassy/Consulate; or

(c) Candidates who represent the country/province in a recognised and

registered code of sport/cultural event.

(2) Applications will only be considered if:

(a) Candidates have registered for the National Senior Certificate

examination.

(b) A motivation in writing requesting permission to be examined at

an approved venue outside of South Africa in accordance with the
prescribed schedule has been submitted.

(3) Examination centres outside the borders of the Republic of South Africa
will be South African Diplomatic Missions or centres approved by the
relevant provincial education department.

(4) The following criteria will be used to select a centre outside the borders of
the Republic of South Africa:

(a) A suitable room with sufficient light and ventilation and suitable
furniture, e.g. a chair and table for the candidate(s) and the
invigilator, should be available for the conducting of the
examination.

26
 (b) A vault or safe should be available for the safekeeping of the
examination question papers and examination material.
(5) Invigilation must be conducted in accordance with this policy.

(6) The candidate will be responsible for all expenses, e.g.:

(a) Packaging and postage;
(b) Invigilator for invigilating;
(c) Renting of venue if applicable; and
(d) Any other incidental costs.

(7) It will be the responsibility of the provincial education department to

supply the examination question papers and all material needed.

(8) The provincial education department will be responsible for the

confirmation of the delivery of all examination materials. Costs regarding
this correspondence will be borne by the candidate.

(9) Adherence to the South African Standard Time requirements:

Examinations must be conducted in terms of the South African Standard

Time requirements for the particular examination question paper.

27
 CHAPTER 5

PREPARATION FOR THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE

EXAMINATION

20. Management plan relating to the examination: Minimum Norms and

Standards

(1) Assessment bodies must have a clear and detailed management plan that
covers the entire examination cycle, and it must include the following:

(a) objectives or targets to be achieved pertaining to the examination

process;

(b) steps and processes that will result in the achievement of the said
targets;

(c) persons who are responsible and accountable;

(d) a time frame;

(e) a monitoring process;

(f) a process for moderation and verification of school-based

assessment; and

(g) a process for identification of, reporting of and dealing with

irregularities.

28
 (2) A management plan may be developed in conjunction with key persons
involved in the examination process.

21. The Examination Cycle: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The assessment body must develop a management plan in respect of the
entire examination cycle.

(2) The examination cycle commences with the appointment of examiners and
internal moderators to set and moderate the examination question papers
for the scheduled examinations and concludes with certification.

(3) Planning and preparations for the conduct of external examinations must
commence at least 24 months prior to the scheduled examination date.

(4) All relevant processes related to the preparation of the external

examination, as contemplated in paragraph 22(1), must be concluded at
least six months prior to the commencement of the external examination.

(5) The Department of Basic Education, the assessment body and Umalusi
will monitor the entire examination cycle in order to ensure delivery of a
credible examination.

29
22. Examination Timetable: Minimum Norms and Standards

The Department of Basic Education, or where applicable, the independent

assessment body must develop an examination timetable for the National Senior
Certificate examination to be conducted in Grade 12 in the subjects listed in the
National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12.

23. Appointment of examiners and internal moderators: Minimum Norms and

Standards

(1) The criteria for the appointment of teachers as examiners are contained in
the Personnel Administration Measures (PAM), determined by the
Minister of Basic Education in terms of the Employment of Educators’
Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998) and the Regulations in terms of the Act
(Annexure D).

(2) Procedures for the appointment of examiners and internal moderators

(a) Examiners and internal moderators must be appointed by the

Department of Basic Education and assessment bodies:

(i) for a maximum period of four (4) years; and

(ii) with a mechanism in place to terminate the appointment of
an examiner if he or she is unable to comply with the
necessary requirements and standards.

(b) If a panel is appointed, the chief examiner who takes responsibility

for the standard and quality of the examination question paper
prior to its submission to the internal moderator may be appointed.

30
 (c) The internal moderator takes responsibility for the standard and
quality of the examination question paper prior to its submission to
the external moderator (Annexure E).

(3) The remuneration for the performance of examination-related duties and

the compensation for travel and subsistence costs are contained in the
Personnel Administration Measures (PAM) determined by the Minister of
Basic Education in terms of the Employment of Educators’ Act, 1998 (Act
No. 76 of 1998) and the Regulations developed in terms of the Act.

(4) A person who is appointed as an examiner or internal moderator must

declare whether his or her son, daughter, brother or sister is sitting for the
National Senior Certificate examination during the period of appointment,
and such examiner or moderator must be relieved from the responsibility
of setting or moderating examination question papers for that particular
year.

(5) The Director-General of Education and the Head of the independent

assessment body must ensure that examiners or moderators do not
participate in any activity that may compromise the confidentiality of the
examination.

24. Responsibilities of chief examiners, examiners and internal moderators:

Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Department of Basic Education must ensure that:

(a) chief examiners and examiners in the respective subjects set the
examination question papers and prepare the memoranda for the
examination question papers concerned, for the final and the
supplementary examination as well as an additional examination

31
 question paper which serves as a backup examination question
paper;

(b) the examination question paper, the back-up examination question

paper and the supplementary examination question paper are set at
the same time to ensure comparability of standards across all three
examination question papers;

(c) examination question papers conform to the requirements of the of

the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12;

(d) the internal moderator ensures that the examination question

papers conform to the requirements of the Subject Statements and
the Subject Assessment Guidelines for a specific subject as listed
in the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12; and

(e) an examiner or internal moderator complies with all instructions

and deadlines issued by the Department of Basic Education, the
assessment body and Umalusi.

(2) If the examination question paper is rejected twice by Umalusi, then the
services of the internal moderator and/or the examiner may be terminated.

(3) An internal moderator or examiner, appointed to a national panel, may not

serve on the panel of any assessment body.

(4) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must ensure
that:

(a) all examination question papers are approved by the internal and
external moderators; and

32
 (b) all changes to the examination question paper, recommended by
the internal and external moderators, are made.

(5) In the event of a disagreement between the examiner and the moderator,
the following procedure must be followed:

(a) If the disagreement is between the internal moderator and the

examiner, the Department of Basic Education and the assessment
body must –

(i) attempt to mediate between the examiner and the internal

moderator; and
(ii) if consensus cannot be reached, the Department of Basic
Education must make the final determination.

(b) If the disagreement is between the internal moderator and the

external moderator, the Chief Executive Officer of Umalusi must-

(i) mediate between them; and

(ii) if consensus cannot be reached, Chief Executive Officer of
Umalusi must make the final determination.

(6) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must comply
with the requirements of Umalusi with regard to the external moderation
of examination question papers.

(7) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must provide
examiners and internal moderators with guidelines for the setting of
examination question papers, which must include the following:

33
 (a) duration of the examination question paper;
(b) maximum marks;
(c) number of examination question papers; and
(d) format of the examination question paper.

(8) Internal moderators must perform the following functions:

(a) ensure that the examination question paper is of an appropriate

standard and quality, and that correct and accessible language has
been used;

(b) ascertain that an examination question paper –

(i) conforms to the Subject Statement and Subject Assessment

Guidelines for the various subjects as listed in the National
Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 (General);
(ii) provides adequately for differentiation; and
(iii) includes questions addressing different cognitive levels;

(c) recommend the necessary changes to the examination question

papers;

(d) approve and sign off the examination question papers prior to
printing;

(e) attend the memorandum discussions;

(f) approve and sign off the finally agreed-upon memoranda,

following the memoranda discussion;

(g) moderate the marked examination answer scripts;

34
 (h) liaise with external moderators;

(i) provide examiners with advice, support and guidance; and

(j) submit a report to the external moderator.

(9) Internal moderators must perform the following functions:

(a) ensure that the examination question paper is of the appropriate

standard and quality and that correct and accessible language has
been used;

(b) ascertain that an examination question paper –

(i) conforms to the Subject Statement and Subject Assessment

Guidelines for the various subjects as listed in the National
Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 (General);
(ii) provides adequately for differentiation; and
(iii) includes questions addressing different cognitive levels;

(c) approve and sign off the examination question papers prior to
printing;

(d) attend the memoranda discussions;

(e) approve and sign off the finally agreed upon memoranda after the
memoranda discussion;

(f) moderate the marked examination answer scripts;

35
 (g) liaise with External Moderators;

(h) provide examiners with advice, support and guidance;

(i) recommend the necessary changes to the examination question

papers; and

(j) submit a report to the external moderator.

(10) An internal moderator may be appointed by the assessment body

specifically to perform the function of the moderation of examination
answer scripts during the marking process. In such an event, the functions
of the internal moderator may include the following:

(a) moderation of marked examination answer scripts to ensure

compliance with the marking memorandum;
(b) an analysis of candidates’ responses to identify areas of weakness
and areas of good performance; and
(c) the compilation of a composite report on the marking of
examination answer scripts.

25. Processing of examination question papers: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must ensure
that clear structures and procedures are in place, regarding the typing,
editing, translation and printing of examination question papers.

(2) Examination question papers must be submitted to the external moderator

timeously, so as to allow for:
(a) thorough moderation;
(b) changes;

36
 (c) adaptations; and
(d) the final duplication of the examination question papers.

(3) Examination question papers must be ready for external moderation at

least six months prior to the commencement of the external examination.

(4) The processing of examination question papers must be done in terms of

Annexure F.

26. Storage and distribution of examination question papers: Minimum Norms

and Standards

(1) The assessment body must ensure strict security with regard to the
examination question papers at all times.

(2) Each assessment body must select the distribution mechanism best suited
to the schools under its jurisdiction.

(3) Irrespective of the mechanism adopted, the following principles must be

adhered to at all times:
(a) The distribution chain should be as short as possible.
(b) The number of persons involved in the distribution process should
be restricted to a minimum.
(c) The transfer of the examination question papers from one
responsible officer to another should be carefully checked and
signed upon receipt.
(d) Any discrepancies that are detected during the transfer process
should be reported immediately to the Head of the assessment
body.
(e) All persons involved in the distribution process should sign a
Contract of Confidentiality.

37
 CHAPTER 6

CONDUCTING THE EXAMINATION

27. Establishment and registration of examination centres: Minimum Norms

and Standards

(1) Examination centres must be registered by the assessment body in

accordance with the following criteria:

(a) a suitable venue to accommodate candidates, i.e. sufficient space

and appropriate furniture to be used by candidates;
(b) security of the venue (Annexure G);
(c) clearance in terms of the local health and fire services bylaws;
(d) provision of proper lighting;
(e) availability of water and toilet facilities;
(f) suitably qualified teaching staff or members of the community who
can be trained as invigilators;
(g) availability of a strong room or safe for the safekeeping of
assessment material;
(h) the capacity to assess learners experiencing barriers to learning;
(i) capacity to complete Practical Assessment Tasks; and
(j) report on previous irregularities at the centre with specific
reference to the nature and outcome of the irregularities.

(2) All examination centres must be evaluated by an official from the

assessment body, to verify that all the necessary facilities required for
conducting the examination are available at the centre.

38
 (3) The following institutions must apply to the relevant assessment body for
registration as examination centres under their own names:

(a) independent schools;

(b) independent learning institutions;
(c) distance learning centres;
(d) any government department that wants to administer the National
Senior Certificate examination; and
(e) any other private or business institution that wants to administer
(f) the National Senior Certificate examination.

(4) The institutions contemplated in subregulation (3) must comply with this
policy and must be subjected to the monitoring and moderation procedures
of the assessment body.

(5) If the centre, institution or venue is approved as an examination centre, a

centre number should be issued to that effect.

(6) Centres must apply and register on an annual basis in October of the year
prior to the examination.

(7) The total number of candidates at an examination centre may not exceed
500 for any one session, unless prior approval has been obtained from the
Head of the assessment body.

28. An agreement between a provincial assessment body and an independent

school: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) All institutions listed in paragraph 29(3) must enter into a contractual
agreement with the provincial assessment body concerned.

39
 (2) A pro forma contract between a provincial education department and an
independent school is attached hereto as Annexure H.

29. De-registration of examination centres: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) In the event of a physical relocation of the examination centre from the
premises approved by the assessment body to other premises, the centre
will be deregistered.

(2) The following procedure should be followed when a centre relocates to

new premises:

(a) The onus is on the owner or management to inform the

Head of the assessment body timeously of the intention to
relocate.

(b) The Head of the assessment body or his or her

representative shall inform the owner or management, in
writing, of the course to be followed.

(c) If the application for the registration of the centre at the

new premises is unsuccessful, the Head of the assessment
body or his or her representative shall give notice to the
owner or management of his or her intention to deregister
the centre.

(d) The owner or management must respond to the notice

within 14 days from the date of issue, and furnish reasons
as to why the centre should not be deregistered.

40
 (e) The Head of Department must consider such representation
and make a final decision as to whether or not to close the
centre down.

(f) This decision must be conveyed, in writing, to the owner or

management.

(3) An examination centre may also be deregistered if there is evidence that

the integrity of the examination is being undermined at the centre.

(a) Examination centres will be deregistered if:

(i) examination question papers in the care of the centre are

being given to candidates before the examination;
(ii) examination question papers are repeatedly opened prior to
the examination time or date;
(iii) there is fabrication of School-Based Assessment marks;
(iv) the centre allows examination imposters; or
(v) if there is any other serious irregularity that warrants
deregistration.

(b) The following procedure should be followed when it is found that

irregular practices have occurred at an examination centre:

(i) Officials of the provincial education department should

investigate the reported irregularities.
(ii) If clear evidence of an irregularity emerges from such
investigation, disciplinary action should be instituted and
steps taken to deregister the centre.

41
 (iii) The owner or management must be informed, in writing, of
the intention of the Head of the assessment body to close
down the centre due to the irregularities.
(iv) The owner or management must respond to the notice
within 14 days from the date of issue, and furnish reasons
as to why the centre should not be closed down.
(v) The Head of the assessment body must consider such
representation before making a final decision as to whether
or not to close the centre down.
(vi) This decision must be communicated, in writing, to the
owner or management.

(4) Maladministration

(a) Examination centres may be deregistered if maladministration

results in any advantage or disadvantage to candidates, or affects
the integrity of the examination, or impacts negatively on the
ability of the centre to render an examination service.

(b) The following procedure should be followed when

maladministration occurs at an examination centre:

(i) The owner or management of such examination centre must

be informed within a specified period of three (3) months in
writing, of the situation and given an opportunity to rectify
the matter.
(ii) If maladministration at the centre continues, the centre may
be placed on probation for a period not exceeding one
academic year.
(iii) If the owner or management again demonstrates an
inability to administer the examination process adequately

42
 during the probation period, the centre may be deregistered
at the end of the academic year.
(iv) If maladministration takes place during the conducting of
an examination, the centre may be placed under the
administration of the assessment body, until further notice.

30. Appointment and duties of chief invigilators and invigilators: Minimum

Norms and Standards

(1) Assessment bodies must ensure that all chief invigilators and invigilators
receive the appropriate training (Annexure I).

(2) Invigilators must ensure that every candidate produces his or her letter of
admission, as well as proof of his or her identity upon admission to the
examination room.
(3) A candidate who fails to produce the required documentation will:

(a) be allowed to sit for the examination, but will be required to

present such documentation to the invigilator after the
examination.

(b) failing this, the normal procedure pertaining to irregularities must

be followed.

31. Information to candidates: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) General examination instructions must be provided to candidates, in

writing, at the commencement of the examination, and each candidate
must sign to confirm receipt and acceptance of these instructions.

43
 (2) Candidates must also be provided with clear written instructions regarding
the specific examination question paper that is being written.

(3) All examination question papers that are not in English must have an
instruction page in English, as well as in the language of the examination
question paper.

(4) A period of ten minutes before the official commencement of the

examination must be allowed for reading of the examination question
paper, in addition to the time allocated for the reading of any instructions
that may be necessary.

(5) No writing may take place during reading time.

(6) In the event where a candidate is required to answer only a selected

number of questions from those appearing in an examination question
paper, and the said candidate answers more than the required number of
questions, only the first number of questions fulfilling the requirement of
the number of questions required will be marked. This condition will
apply provided that the instruction was clear.

(7) The return of examination answer scripts to the assessment body or any
other collection point must be handled with the same care and security as
the examination question papers (Annexure J).

32. Monitoring of the National Senior Certificate examination: Minimum Norms

and Standards

The Department of Basic Education, the assessment body and Umalusi must have
clear programme relating to the monitoring of the National Senior Certificate
examinations. This programme must cover all stages of the examination,

44
 commencing with the preparatory phase and concluding with the release of the
results.

33. Visits to the centres by monitoring teams: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The monitoring teams of the Department of Basic Education and the
assessment bodies must visit examination centres while the examination is
in progress, and report on, but not limited to, the following:

(a) general management of the examination;

(b) invigilation;
(c) the condition of examination rooms;
(d) the seating of candidates;
(e) the handing out of examination question papers;
(f) control of the ten minutes reading time;
(g) the collection of examination question papers;
(h) the return of examination answer scripts; and
(i) security.

(2) The monitoring teams of the Department of Basic Education and the
assessment bodies should visit the marking centres to observe the marking
process.

45
 CHAPTER 7

RECORDING AND REPORTING OF ASSESSMENT FOR THE

NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE

34. Scale of achievement: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Seven levels of competence are described for each subject in the National
Senior Certificate.
(2) These descriptions will assist teachers to assess learners and grade them at
the correct level.
(3) Teachers or examiners must record learners’ results in marks and report
them as percentages.
(4) The percentage obtained will determine which rating code on the scale of
achievement will be allocated to a learner.
(5) The various achievement levels and their corresponding percentage bands
are indicated in Table 1 below.
(6) Final promotion schedules for Grades 10 and 11 must be approved and
signed by the relevant assessment body.

TABLE 1: SCALE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE NATIONAL

CURRICULUM STATEMENT GRADES 10-12 (GENERAL)
ACHIEVEMENT ACHIEVEMENT MARKS
LEVEL DESCRIPTION %
7 Outstanding achievement 80 – 100
6 Meritorious achievement 70 – 79
5 Substantial achievement 60 – 69
4 Adequate achievement 50 – 59
3 Moderate achievement 40 – 49
2 Elementary achievement 30 – 39
1 Not achieved 0 – 29

46
 CHAPTER 8

THE MARKING PROCESS

35. Appointment of markers: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Head of the assessment body is responsible for the appointment of
markers.

(2) Markers at provincial assessment bodies are appointed in terms of the

PAM (Annexure K), and any other additional criteria as determined and
approved by HEDCOM.

(3) The process of appointing markers must commence at least six months
prior to the commencement of the specific marking session. This will
allow for the verification of the markers’ credentials, as well as for
training, should this be necessary.

(4) The information provided by the applicant for the position of marker must
be verified, in writing, by his or her employer and the relevant assessment
body. In the case of provincial assessment bodies, the verification must be
done by the school principal and the district manager.

(5) All persons appointed with regard to the marking process must declare
whether he or she has an immediate relative sitting for a National Senior
Certificate examination in the year of appointment. After having made
such declaration, the marker will be allowed to mark, but it will be
ensured that he or she does not mark the examination answer script of an
immediate relative.

47
 (6) An assessment body must select an additional marker in the event where
an appointed marker fails to report for duty.

(7) A marker, senior marker and chief marker must be appointed annually.

(8) All selection panels for markers must be chaired by the relevant Head of
the assessment body or his or her representative.

36. Appointment of markers: Guidelines

(1) Assessment bodies should commence with the appointment of markers

early in the year so that adequate time is available for the verification of
information and the selection procedure. Additional markers must be
placed on a reserve list, in the event of appointed markers failing to report
during the marking session.

(2) The information on the markers’ application form must be verified by the
assessment body.

(3) Persons appointed as Markers by a provincial assessment body fall under

the Employment of Educators’ Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998).

(4) Persons appointed as markers by a provincial assessment body must show

proof of registration with the South African Council for Educators
(SACE).

37. Establishment of marking centres: Minimum Norms and Standards

Each assessment body must have criteria pertaining to the establishment and
management of marking centres.

48
38. Marking centres: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) If the number of markers exceeds six hundred (600), a decentralised

approach to marking may be adopted.

(2) Marking may be decentralised in terms of geographic regions or in terms

of groups of subjects.

(3) If a subject is marked at more than one venue, special measures must be
taken to ensure a common standard of marking.

(4) The following aspects need to be considered before a marking venue is

selected:

(a) marking space;

(b) catering facilities;
(c) overnight accommodation (if required);
(d) security;
(e) a suitable control centre;
(f) ICT facilities; and
(g) the availability of water, electricity and other basic facilities.

(5) The control centre forms the heart of operations at the marking centre. The
control of mark sheets and examination answer scripts at the control centre
may be divided into three phases, namely:

(a) Phase one:

(i) This phase entails an audit of all mark sheets and their
respective examination answer scripts at the marking
centre.

49
 (ii) All unregistered mark sheets or examination answer scripts
are to be recorded in a specific register.

(b) Phase two:

(i) Chief markers signs a control list when examination answer

scripts are issued to them and again when the examination
answer scripts are returned.

(c) Phase three:

(i) Mark sheets should be kept in a safe place and sent to the
chief marker.
(ii) During this phase, copies should be made of the completed
mark sheets, which, have been returned by the chief
markers.
(iii) The original mark sheet should be sent for data capturing.
At this stage, control lists are checked to establish whether
the chief markers have returned all the examination answer
scripts.
(iv) Mark sheets could be scanned for security purposes.

39. Marking procedures: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Marking procedures should be clearly formulated by the provincial

assessment body, as contemplated in Annexure L.

(2) The assessment body may release the marking memoranda and
examination question papers of an examination to interested parties at the
end of April in the year following the writing of the examination.

50
40. Marking procedures: Guidelines

(1) Marking procedures could be as follows:

(a) marking question by question; or

(b) marking complete examination answer scripts; or
(c) staggered marking where marking may commence in one or
selected subjects while the rest of the National Senior Certificate
examination is still in progress; or
(d) marking after completion of the examination, i.e. after all the
examination question papers have been written.

(2) When candidates are required to answer only a selected number of

questions from those given in an examination question paper, the marker
should mark only the required number of questions in the order in which
they appear in the examination answer script and delete the remaining
answers.

(3) The marker may mark all the questions in the examination answer script or
only the questions allocated to him or her, as instructed by the chief
marker.

(4) All marks on mark sheets and any other official documents must be
entered in black ink. No pencil marks should be allowed on mark sheets
or official documents.

51
 CHAPTER 9

PROCESSING OF MARKS

41. Processing of marks: Minimum Norms and Standards

The Department of Basic Education and the assessment bodies must establish, or
must have access to a fully-fledged and compatible Information Technology
component.

42. Capturing of marks by trained staff: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The marks obtained by candidates, as reflected on the mark sheets, should
be captured by specially trained staff.

(2) Verification of all data being captured, using the double capture method,
must be followed.

43. Standardisation: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Mark adjustments are done by Umalusi, in conjunction with the

Department of Basic Education and assessment bodies.

(2) The data and evidence required for the standardisation of results are
determined by Umalusi.

(3) Recommendations regarding the standardisation of marks, together with

clear motivations, will be presented by the Department of Basic Education
and assessment bodies to Umalusi for consideration.

52
 (4) The standardisation of marks is the responsibility of Umalusi and its
decision is final in all cases.

44. Release of the results: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The release date of the results must be decided upon by the Council of
Education Ministers (CEM) on the recommendation of HEDCOM, and
this must be done on an annual basis.

(2) The date contemplated in subparagraph (1) is subject to approval of the

National Senior Certificate results by Umalusi.

53
 CHAPTER 10

RE-MARKING, RE-CHECKING AND VIEWING OF

EXAMINATION ANSWER SCRIPTS

45. Re-marking and re-checking of examination answer scripts: Minimum

Norms and Standards

(1) The following are applicable to the re-marking and re-checking of

examination answer scripts:

(a) A candidate may apply for the re-marking or re-checking of his or

her examination answer scripts, within twenty-one (21) calendar
days of the official release of the results.

(b) This applies to both the end-of-year and supplementary

examinations.

(c) A candidate may obtain an application for re-marking, re-checking

or viewing of an examination answer script form from any
examination centre.

(2) Following consultation with the Heads of Departments, the Director-

General may, by way of a notice in the Government Gazette, determine the
following fees for provincial assessment bodies:

(a) the re-marking of examination answer scripts;

(b) supplementary examinations;
(c) the re-checking of examinations answer scripts;

54
 (d) viewing of examination answer scripts; and
(e) a statement of results.

(3) The fees contemplated in subparagraph (2) must be refunded to the

candidate if the re-marking results in an improvement of the rating code.

(4) The prescribed fee must be communicated to the candidate with the
statement of results.

46. Viewing of examination answer scripts: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Subject to the provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act,

2000 (Act No.2 of 2000), the candidate, the candidate’s parent, guardian or
their representative, will be allowed to view the examination answer script
of such candidate.

(2) Viewing of an examination answer script will only be allowed subject to

the following conditions:

(a) The candidate or his or her parents may apply to view an

examination answer script if, after the re-checking and re-marking
process, the candidate is still not satisfied with the result.

(b) An application to view the examination answer script must be

made within seven (7) days of the release of the re-marked results
and must provide clear reasons for the request.

(c) The examination answer script will be viewed in the presence of an

examination official and may not be removed from the viewing
room.

55
(d) No other document, except the examination answer script of the
candidate, will be allowed into the room where the viewing takes
place.

(e) No writing on the examination answer script during the viewing

process will be allowed.

(f) After the re-marking or viewing of an examination answer script, a

candidate may apply to the Head of Department for a final re-
mark. If the candidate is not satisfied with the outcome, he or she
may appeal to the MEC, or to Umalusi in the case of an
independent assessment body. The decision of the MEC or
Umalusi is final.

56
 CHAPTER 11

DEALING WITH IRREGULARITIES

47. Dealing with irregularities: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Minister of Basic Education must establish the National Examination
Irregularities Committee to support the provincial assessment bodies in
ensuring that the credibility of the examination is maintained.

(2) The Head of the provincial assessment body must establish a Provincial
Examination Irregularities Committee to investigate irregularities and
make recommendations to the MEC and the Head of Department.

(3) Provincial education departments may establish District Assessment

Irregularities Committees. The function of these committees will be to
support and co-ordinate the handling of irregularities at a district level.

(4) Independent assessment bodies must establish appropriate structures to

handle irregularities.

(5) The following steps must be followed regarding the issuing of a National
Senior Certificate to a candidate suspected of committing an irregularity:

(a) It should be established whether the irregularity was caused by the

conduct of the candidate or that of another person.

(b) If the irregularity pertains to one of the examination question

papers of a subject, the results of the subject as a whole will not be

57
 released, but this will not affect the release of the results of other
subjects.

(c) If the irregularity was not caused by the candidate’s actions and the
candidate did not gain any advantage, the examination answer
script must be marked and marks must be allocated as set out in the
marking memorandum and the results must be released.

(6) A candidates who attends an irregularity hearing may have legal

representation.

(7) Should a candidate decide to have legal representation, the provincial

education department must be informed of this intention three working
days before the hearing, in order to allow the Department of Basic
Education to ensure appropriate departmental representation at the
hearing.

48. Release of results under investigation: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Assessment bodies must ensure that irregularities are finalised before the
results are released.

(2) In cases where the nature of the irregularity is such that it cannot be
finalised before the results are released, the results of the relevant
candidates must be withheld, pending further investigation.

(3) If a candidate is found guilty of an irregularity in one subject, only the

results of that subject must be withheld.

58
 (4) Candidates that are found guilty of an irregularity will have the
irregularity recorded on the computer system and such information must
be made available to all assessment bodies.
49. Dealing with irregularities: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Annexure M provides details on how to deal with irregularities.

59
 CHAPTER 12

SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

50. Security and confidentiality: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The assessment body must take every reasonable step to ensure the
security and confidentiality of:

(a) the examination question papers;

(b) answer books;
(c) examination answer scripts;
(d) mark sheets; and
(e) other assessment documents.

(2) Effective security and confidentiality measures should be in place in the

following areas of the examination process:

(a) the setting and moderation of the examination question papers;

(b) the printing of the examination question papers;
(c) the storage of the final printed examination question papers, as
well as the printed back-up examination question papers;
(d) persons entering or exiting restricted examination administrative
areas;
(e) examination question papers leaving the Department of Basic
Education and assessment bodies;
(f) the distribution of examination question papers and the transfer of
examination answer scripts to and from examination centres;
(g) examination answer scripts of candidates under investigation; and
(h) the maintenance of the IT system.

60
 (3) The national security and confidentiality agreement relating to
examination matters must be signed by all officials involved in managing
and administering the examination.

(4) Employees who are involved in the National Senior Certificate

examination, and who have immediate relatives in Grade 12, must disclose
such information within a period of 18 months before the commencement
of the final end-of-year Senior Certificate examinations to the relevant
assessment body.

(5) The Head of the assessment body will make a decision with regard to the
involvement of the official in the National Senior Certificate examination
for that year.

51. The use of outside agents: Minimum Norms and Standards

The use of an outside agent or institutions in the examination process is the

responsibility of the assessment body and issues relating to security, cost-
effectiveness and capacity-building must be taken into consideration before an
outside agency or institution is engaged.

61
 CHAPTER 13

ACCESS TO EXAMINATION AND CERTIFICATION

INFORMATION

52. Access to examination information: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The Minister of Basic Education is the custodian of examination data.

The Director-General approves access to examination data by members of
the public.

(2) Assessment bodies must ensure that all examination material is properly
archived to allow for easy retrieval for at least six (6) months.

(3) Assessment bodies must keep all examination answer scripts and other
examination-related documentation for at least six (6) months from the
date of the release of the examination results.

(4) Provincial assessment bodies may shred the examination answer scripts
after six (6) months, unless litigation is still pending, or an investigation
into irregularities has not been finalised.

(5) Certified examination data must be transferred to the National Learner

Records Database (NLRD) at the South African Qualifications Authority
(SAQA).

62
53. Access to certification information: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The assessment body must submit approved candidate records for
certification to Umalusi, subject to the directives issued by Umalusi.

(2) The assessment body must transfer the certified certification records to the
historical certification records of the Department of Basic Education.

(3) The Department of Basic Education must ensure that there are back-up
copies of the historical certification records of provincial assessment
bodies.

(4) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must ensure
stringent security measures during the following processes:

(a) queries;
(b) combination of results; and
(c) verification of results.

(5) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must have
secure methods, measures and procedures in place, in order to ensure
safekeeping of examination records.

54. Accessibility of examination and certification information: Minimum Norms

and Standards

Assessment bodies must ensure that examination answer scripts must be filed per
subject, per examination question paper, and in centre order, for the purposes of
re-checking, re-marking, viewing or resolving of queries.

63
 CHAPTER 14

HISTORICAL RECORDS (ARCHIVING) AND DATA RETENTION

55. Copies of historical certification records and data retention: Minimum

Norms and Standards

(1) Copies of historical certification records are a national asset and are the
responsibility of the Department of Basic Education.

(2) Subject to the National Archives of South Africa Act, 1996 (Act No.43 of
1996), the original documents of the assessment and certification process
will form part of the provincial filing system.

56. Access to historical records: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Access to historical records is an integral part of the functioning of any

examination section.

(2) The provincial assessment bodies should have a computer infrastructure

that can access the centralised historical database.

(3) These records should be used for queries, the combination of results, and
for the verification of certification data.

64
 CHAPTER 15

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXAMINATION

COMPUTER SYSTEM, AND DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENT
CONTROL PERTAINING TO THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM

57. Minimum requirements for an examination computer system: Minimum

Norms and Standards

(1) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must
establish the minimum requirements for a computer programme to be used
in the examination process.

(2) A guideline to establish such minimum requirements is contained in

Annexure N.

(3) User requirement specifications, as developed by the Department of Basic

Education or independent assessment bodies, should be in place.

58. Documents and document control pertaining to the examination system:

Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) Documents printed by the computer system, relating to the examination,

are the responsibility of the assessment bodies.

(2) The Head of the assessment body or his or her representatives must check
the signatures and the descriptions on these documents.

65
(3) Documentation on the resulting process of the computer system is
essential for use by the assessment bodies and should be available to them.

(4) This information is used for reference purposes in order to maintain and
further develop the system.

66
 CHAPTER 16

EDUCATION BOARDS

59. The establishment of examination boards: Minimum Norms and Standards

(1) The following examination boards are established:

(a) A National Examination Board to advise the Minister on all

matters relating to national examination and assessment; and

(b) A Provincial Examination Board to advise the Member of the

Executive Council (MEC) on all matters relating to provincial
examination and assessment (Annexure O).

67
 CHAPTER 17

REPEAL OF THE POLICY DOCUMENT, RÉSUMÉ OF

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMES IN SCHOOLS, REPORT 550
(2001/08) AND TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

60. Repeal of Report 550 (2001/08)

(1) The Résumé of instructional programmes in schools, Report 550

(2001/08), containing the programme and promotion requirements for the
Senior Certificate, is repealed, subject to Regulation 59.

(2) Learners entering Grade 12 in 2008 must write the National Senior
Certificate examination.

61. Transitional arrangements

(1) The following candidates will be given an opportunity to complete

outstanding requirements for the Senior Certificate until May/June 2011:

(a) unsuccessful candidates in the Senior Certificate examination of

2007;

(b) part-time candidates who are already enrolled for the Senior
Certificate,

(c) candidates who have passed Grade 11 in previous years; and

(d) other special cases where the Heads of provincial and independent
assessment bodies may use their discretionary powers to allow

68
 such candidates admission to the May/June Senior Certificate
examination.

(2) All Senior Certificate subjects, successfully completed prior to 2007 and
provided they are in compliance with the policy document, Résumé of
instructional programmes in schools, Report 550 (2001/08), will be
recognised for the issuing of the Senior Certificate until May/June 2011.

(3) No new enrolments of learners will be accepted in Grades 10 for any

subjects listed in the policy document, a Résumé of instructional
programmes in schools, Report 550 (2001/08) from 1 January 2006.

(4) National education policy pertaining to part-time candidates as stipulated

in the policy document, National policy on the conduct, administration
and management of the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at
Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), will continue to
exist until such a date as determined by the Minister of Basic Education.

(5) The Minister may also determine the date, contemplated in

subparagraph 4 after:

(a) an alternative qualification for part-time candidates has been

developed and implemented; and

(b) public and independent distance/correspondence education

institutions have been identified and have become operational to
assist part-time candidates to obtain the qualification presented by
the Minister in the Government Gazette.

(6) The policy pertaining to part-time candidates contemplated in

69
 subparagraph 4 will continue for a further period of three (3) years after
the date referred to in subregulation 5 in order to accommodate the
candidates already enrolled as part-time candidates on the date determined
by the Minister.

(7) Part-time candidates must comply with the National Senior Certificate
requirements as stipulated in the policy document, National Senior
Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF.

(8) Candidates who have registered as part-time candidates for the National
Senior Certificate during the period 2006-2008 must show proof that they
have complied with the National Senior Certificate requirements as
stipulated in the policy document, National Senior Certificate: A
qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
before they will be allowed by an assessment body to register and sit for
the final National Senior Certificate examination.

(9) Learners who register as part-time candidates for the first time in Grade 10
in 2009, must register with an accredited assessment body to ensure that
such learners comply with the National Senior Certificate requirements as
stipulated in the policy document, National Senior Certificate: A
qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(10) Once a learner as contemplated in subparagraph 10 has registered with an

assessment body, such assessment body must provide guidelines regarding
the National Senior Certificate with respect to the three year duration of
the qualification and the compliance with the School-Based Assessment
and external examination requirements.

(11) The Minister may, if deemed necessary, amend the transitional

70
 arrangements as contemplated in paragraph 63.

62. Short title and commencement

This policy may be cited as the National policy on the conduct, administration
and management of the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and will come into effect on the
date of publication in the Government Gazette.

71
 ANNEXURE A

ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES RELATING TO THE SCHOOL-BASED

ASSESSMENT (SBA) AND PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT TASK (PAT)
MARKS

1. PRESENTATION OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT AND

PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT MARKS

(1) All learners must have a School-Based Assessment (SBA) mark for each
subject presented for the National Senior Certificate.

(2) A Practical Assessment Task mark is a compulsory component of the final

promotion mark for all candidates registered for the following National
Senior Certificate subjects.

(a) Arts: Dance Studies, Design, Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual
Arts;
(b) Languages: Oral mark;
(c) Technology: Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, Mechanical
Technology and Engineering Graphics and Design;
(d) Life Orientation;
(e) Computer Sciences: Computer Applications Technology and
Information Technology; and
(f) Services: Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies and Tourism.

(3) Learners who have not submitted a learner portfolio of evidence as part of
the School Based Assessment component, and/or Practical Assessment

72
 Task based on valid reasons, must be given three months from publication
of the results to submit School-Based Assessment tasks and/or a Practical
Assessment Task for evaluation. In such an event, the code “999” is
indicated on the mark sheet.

(4) If a learner fails to present a component or components of the SBA and/or

a Practical Assessment Task during the course of the year, and valid
reasons are provided, the learner should be allowed the opportunity to
redo the task and/or Practical Assessment Task or, where this is not
possible, the mark for that component of the School-Based Assessment
and/or a Practical Assessment Task component should not be taken into
consideration and the maximum mark, in this particular case, must be
recalculated, based on the remaining number of tasks (refer to Table 1).

(5) If a learner fails to present a component or components of the Practical

Assessment Task during the course of the year, and valid reasons are
provided, the learner should be allowed the opportunity to redo the task.

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 Table 1
SBA components of subject with learner’s marks:
Component Component Component Component Component Component Component
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Max 5 5 30 20 40 40 40
marks
Did not offer Did not offer
Learner 4 (valid reason 16 (valid reason 20 15 12
given) given)
SBA mark = (4+16+20+15+12) /(5+30+40+40+40+40)
= 67/155
= 43%
If a learner fails to present a component or components of the School-Based
Assessment, without a valid reason, the learner must be awarded a zero mark
(“0”) for such component or components (refer to Table 2).

Table: 2
SBA components of subject with learner’s marks:
Component Component Component Component Component Component Component
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Max 5 5 30 20 40 40 40
marks
Did not offer Did not offer
Learner 4 (no valid 16 (No valid 20 15 12
reason given) reason given)
SBA mark = (4+0+16+0+20+15+12)/(5+5+30+20+40+40)
= 67/180
= 37%

2. INCOMPLETE RESULTS

A learner’s results are regarded as incomplete if he or she did not offer any
component of the School-Based Assessment and/or a Practical Assessment Task
(PAT), a Practical Assessment or an Oral mark and no valid reason was provided.
This implies that the learner did not submit all assessment tasks specified for

74
 School-Based Assessment, Practical Assessment Task (PAT), Practical Assessment
or Oral requirements in the policy document, An addendum to the policy document,
the National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding the National Protocol for Assessment
(Grades R – 12) and Subject Assessment Guidelines. In such an event, the code
“444” is indicated on the mark sheet. Therefore the candidate cannot receive a
result in the subject, since he or she has not satisfied the requirements of the
National Senior Certificate and will not qualify for a National Senior Certificate. In
such an event, the code “444” is indicated on the mark sheet. Such a candidate must
repeat the subject in the subsequent examination, but not the supplementary
examination. If a candidate fails to do this, he or she will not qualify for a National
Senior Certificate.

3. OUTSTANDING MARKS

A mark is regarded as outstanding if, during the capturing process, the reason for
the outstanding mark is not established. The code, “777”, is used to indicate an
outstanding mark. An outstanding mark must be finalised as soon as possible and
the “777” code replaced with either a mark or a “444” code (absent) or a “999”
code.

In the event that the candidate was absent, based on valid reasons, code “999” will
be captured. The outstanding School-Based Assessment, and/or Practical
Assessment Tasks (PAT), Practical Assessment or Oral mark must be submitted
within the stipulated three-month period. The result in the subject will be regarded
as incomplete. In such an event the candidate cannot receive a result, since he or she
has not satisfied the requirements of the National Senior Certificate. Should the
candidate not submit the School-Based Assessment tasks and/or Practical
Assessment Tasks in the stipulated period, the code “777” will be changed to
“444”.

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 Candidates who have not met the School-Based Assessment and Practical
Assessment Task component requirements, may be allowed to improve their marks
obtained in the School-Based Assessment and Practical Assessment Task
components, subject to satisfactory arrangements being made with the relevant
accredited assessment body.

4. STATISTICAL MODERATION OF SBA MARKS

All School-Based Assessment tasks and Practical Assessment Tasks are statistically
moderated, based on the norm determined by Umalusi. The norm, which is
articulated as a formula for the statistical moderation process, will be provided by
Umalusi. The Department of Basic Education will ensure that the computer system
is programmed to process the marks in accordance with the formula. However, the
final responsibility rests with Umalusi to verify the accuracy of the statistical
moderation process on the IT system.

Learners whose School-Based Assessment marks and/or Practical Assessment

Tasks are outstanding, absent or have not been finalised at the time of the statistical
moderation, are removed from the moderation process. The examination results for
these learners are initially left out of the moderation process, and the moderated
marks are calculated at a later stage, using information from the rest of the group.

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 ANNEXURE B

THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SUBJECTS OFFERED BY

OTHER ASSESSMENT BODIES

1. THE STATUS OF SUBJECTS OFFERED BY OTHER

ASSESSMENT BODIES

(1) Candidates may offer a maximum of one subject developed by an

assessment body other than the Department of Basic Education and
approved by the Minister of Basic Education, in addition to the required
seven compulsory subjects for the National Senior Certificate.

(2) All requests regarding the offering of additional subjects to be listed in the
National Senior Certificate must be directed to the Department of Basic
Education, in order to determine whether the Department of Basic
Education will consider the inclusion of the subject in the National
Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12.

(3) Additional subjects to be considered by the Department of Basic

Education for inclusion in the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-
12 must be supported by the following documents:

(a) a Subject Statement that includes the learning outcomes, assessment

standards and content;
(b) a Learning Programme Guideline;
(c) a Subject Assessment Guideline; and
(d) in the case of additional languages, the appropriate English
Language level documents, i.e. Home, First Additional and Second
Additional Language level should be used as a template.

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(4) An assessment body should undertake the development of the additional
subject requested, as well as conduct the examination thereof.

(5) However, no guarantee can be given to institutions that the Minister of

Basic Education will approve the developed documents submitted to the
Department of Basic Education. All development is done at own risk and
any costs incurred must be borne by the applicant.

(6) All relevant documents referred to in subregulation (3) above, must be

submitted not later than April of the year prior to the planned
implementation.

(7) Once satisfied that all the above requirements have been met, the
Department of Basic Education will evaluate the subject in question and
make a recommendation to the Minister of Basic Education.

(8) Subjects that have been approved by the Minister of Basic Education for
offering as part of the National Senior Certificate will be implemented for
the first time in Grade 10 in the month of January, following the year of
approval.

(9) Assessment bodies and schools that wish to enrol learners for additional
subjects to the National Senior Certificate, developed and assessed by an
assessment body, should contact the Head of the relevant assessment body
for details about the enrolment and assessment procedure for the
additional subject.

(10) The Department of Basic Education could request assessment bodies,

accredited by Umalusi and approved by the Minister of Basic Education,
to assist with the examination of the approved additional subject, offered
by a learner as part of his or her 7-subject package.

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 ANNEXURE C

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OFFERING OF MUSIC

PROGRAMMES OF ACCREDITTED ASSESSMENT BODIES

A learner who requests to offer one of the approved music programmes offered by
the assessment bodies, listed in subregulation 8, as one of the seven (7)
compulsory subjects for the National Senior Certificate, or as an additional
subject, i.e. as an eighth or ninth subject, may do so under the following
conditions:

(1) The learner enrols for the music programme in the year that he or she
registers for Grade 10 for the first time.

(2) The selected music programme is registered as one of the Group B

subjects of the National Senior Certificate, as contemplated in paragraph
C2 of Annexure C of the document, National Senior Certificate: A
qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),
in January of the year of the first registration for Grade 10.

(3) A learner completes the theory component of the selected music

programme prior to his or her registration, in Grade 10, for the National
Senior Certificate.

(4) A learner registers for a music programme, offered by an assessment body

listed in subregulation 8, at a minimum level of Grade 4, for the selected
practical music examination in Grade 10, provided that such learner
progresses to at least Grade 6 of that practical examination in his or her
Grade 12-year, and that Grade 6 of the practical music examination and its

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 theory component, offered by an assessment body, are regarded as the
minimum acceptance level for the National Senior Certificate (Table 1).

(5) Learners who register for the first time in Grade 10 for a music
programme, offered by an assessment body, at a Grade 5 or Grade 6 level
of the selected music programme, must progress to Grade 6 and 7
respectively in Grade 12, in order to fulfil the National Senior Certificate
programme requirements, as contemplated in paragraph 9 of the
document, National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the
National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(6) Learners who register for the first time in Grade 10 for a music
programme, offered by an assessment body at Grade 7 level of the
selected music programme, must offer these programmes for the three-
year period of Grades 10-12, in order to fulfil the National Senior
Certificate programme requirements, as contemplated in paragraph 9 of
the document, National Senior Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(7) Assessment bodies, which have been approved by the Minister to offer
music as a subject, must submit the theory and practical marks of their
candidates separately. However, the final result obtained by a learner in
the music programme offered by such assessment body, must be
calculated as a combination of both the practical music examination and
its theory component.

TABLE 1(A): ASSOCIATED BOARD OF THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF

MUSIC (ABRSM)
NSC Grade 10 NSC Grade 11 NSC Grade 12
Grade 4 practical and Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 6
Grade 4 theory Grade 5 theory theory
Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 7 practical and Grade 6
Grade 5 theory Grade 6 theory theory

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 TABLE 1(B): TRINITY COLLEGE OF LONDON (TCL)
NSC Grade 10 NSC Grade 11 NSC Grade 12
Grade 4 practical and Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 6
Grade 4 theory Grade 5 theory theory
Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 7 practical and Grade 6
Grade 5 theory Grade 6 theory theory

TABLE 1(C): UNISA

NSC GRADE 10 NSC Grade 11 NSC Grade 12
Grade 4 practical and Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 5
Grade 3 theory Grade 4 theory theory
Grade 5 practical and Grade 6 practical and Grade 7 practical and Grade 5
Grade 4 theory Grade 5 theory theory

(8) The theory components of the music programmes of the approved

assessment body are as follows:

TABLE 2 THEORY REQUIERMENTS

Practical music examination Prerequisite
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music ABRSM music theory Grade 4
(ABRSM) Practical music examination Grade 4
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music ABRSM music theory Grade 5
(ABRSM) Practical music examination Grade 5
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music ABRSM music theory Grade 6
(ABRSM) Practical music examination Grade 6
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music ABRSM music theory Grade 6
(ABRSM) Practical music examination Grade 7
Trinity College of London (TCL) TCL music theory Grade 4
Practical music examination Grade 4
Trinity College of London (TCL) TCL music theory Grade 5
Practical music examination Grade 5
Trinity College of London (TCL) TCL music theory Grade 6
Practical music examination Grade 6
Trinity College of London (TCL) TCL music theory Grade 6
Practical music examination Grade 7
Unisa Practical music examination Grade 4 UNISA theory Grade 3
Unisa Practical music examination Grade 5 UNISA theory Grade 4
Unisa Practical music examination Grade 6 UNISA theory Grade 5
Unisa Practical music examination Grade 7 UNISA theory Grade 5

(9) A maximum of one of the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music, or

Trinity College of London, or the UNISA practical music examination,

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 Grades 6 or 7, may be offered in combination with a National Senior
Certificate subject, which may include Music.

(10) Learners who offer one of the Associated Board of Royal Schools of
music, or Trinity College of London, or the UNISA practical music
examination, Grades 6 or 7, in combination with the subject Music, as
listed in the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, may not offer
the same main instrument as a first and second instrument.

(11) Learners may not offer a music programme, comprising a combination of

components of the subject Music, as listed in the National Curriculum
Statement Grades 10-12, for the Associated Board of Royal Schools of
Music’s practical music examination, Trinity College of London’s
practical music examination, or UNISA’s practical music examination.

(12) Learners, who register for a music programme offered by an assessment

body, must offer the required level or levels of the music programme
entered for, for all three years of the National Senior Certificate
programme, namely Grades 10 to 12. A learner must fulfil all the
requirements in respect of School-Based Assessment for each level of the
music programme that he or she enrolled for.

(13) Learners will not be allowed to change from one assessment body to
another, once they have enrolled at a specific assessment body in their
Grade 10-year.

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 ANNEXURE D

APPOINTMENT OF EXAMINERS AND INTERNAL MODERATORS: AN

EXCERPT FROM THE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION MEASURES

In addition to the general criteria referred to in Regulation 23, the following minimum
criteria should apply with regard to the selection and appointment of examiners (for the
setting and moderation of examination question papers and accompanying memoranda)
and internal moderators:

(1) Advertisements for the posts of examiners and internal moderators should be
included in a departmental circular, as well as published in the national or local
press.

(2) For the examination, set by the Department of Basic Education, a selection panel
shall be appointed by the Department of Basic Education. Teacher unions that are
members of the Education Labour Relations Council shall be allowed observer
status on such a panel.

(3) The following minimum criteria will apply in respect of the selection and
appointment of candidates:

The appointee must:

(a) have at least a recognised three-year post matric qualification, which must
include the subject concerned at second or third-year level;
(b) have extensive experience as a teacher in the particular subject or in a
related area, and at least two (2) years teaching experience during the last
five (5) years, at the appropriate level; and
(c) he or she must have experience as a marker.

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 ANNEXURE E

EXAMINATION PANELS

1. It is advantageous to appoint two to four examiners to set an examination

question paper, in order to maintain the appropriate standard for a subject.
This allows for the perspectives of two to four experts in the particular
subject to be utilised in the setting of the examination question paper.

2. Advantages of the panel system:

(a) it allows for capacity-building, by including one or two persons

who lack prior experience in the setting of examination question
papers.

(b) If a panel of examiners is used, it is important that a chief examiner

be appointed.

(c) The chief examiner takes final responsibility for the quality and
standard of the examination question paper.

3. Duly binding contracts must be signed between the examiner and the
Department of Basic Education or the assessment body.

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 ANNEXURE F

PROCESSING OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPERS

1. TYPING OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPERS

(1) A team of selected staff members, not exceeding four to five typists, supervised
by a chief typist, may carry out the typing of examination question papers.

(2) They may do their work on personal computers, not linked to an external network,
and all the work should be done in a restricted area.

(3) This task should be supervised by a senior staff member. The hard disks should be
cleared and transferred to other relevant media, such as compact discs (CDs),
which must then be locked away daily.

(4) All typists must complete a Contract of Confidentiality.

2. EDITING OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPERS

(1) Language editing may be carried out by specially appointed language editors.

(2) Alternatively, this function may be carried out by a select group of subject
specialists, who must complete the Contract of Confidentiality document.

(3) The final editing should be the task of the chief examiner, and he or she, together
with the internal moderator, should sign it off, certifying that he or she has
checked the examination question paper in every respect and that the examination
question paper is ready for printing.

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 (4) All members of the editing team must complete a Contract of Confidentiality.

3. PRINTING OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPERS

(1) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body must ensure the
following:

(a) A building with proper security, which could be used for typing, printing,
packaging and storage.
(b) All examination activities may then be carried out in this safe building,
allowing access only to specific persons.
(c) In terms of printing, the assessment bodies must move to establish in-
house printing facilities.
(d) Where in-house printing is done, the person involved in the printing may
also be involved in the packaging.
(e) The printing process must be carried out under the close supervision of a
senior official.
(f) This official must be entrusted with the task of approving the quality and
standard of the first batch of printed examination question papers.
(g) All members of the printing team must complete a Contract of
Confidentiality.

(2) Where assessment bodies choose to use external agencies for the purpose of
printing, the agency concerned should be fully investigated to ensure that, inter
alia, strict security measures are in place, and that the quality of the printing is of
an acceptable standard. A detailed contract, a service level agreement and a
Contract of Confidentiality must be signed between the assessment body and the
external provider of printing services.

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 ANNEXURE G

PRACTICAL EXAMINATION IN COMPUTER

APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

1. Computer laboratories should be visited by the assessment bodies to ensure that

the infrastructure is compliant. This must be done six (6) months prior to the
commencement of the final National Senior Certificate examination.

2 The security measures to be taken in the subjects Computer Applications

Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT), comprise two phases,
namely the computer laboratory certification, and the invigilation during the
examination sitting.

3. Local authorities should be informed about the examination timetable to ensure

that load shedding is not applicable.

4. The following measures must be taken during the computer laboratory

certification process:

(1) All schools offering Computer Applications Technology and Information

Technology must complete a specified checklist that should be certified by
the Principal of the school and submitted to the assessment body two (2)
days prior to the commencement of the examination.

(2) Two days prior to the examination in Computer Applications Technology

and in Information Technology, the specific centre to be used for these
examinations should be off limits to all candidates.

87
(3) All electronic equipment at the school should be inspected prior to the
examinations to ensure that it is in good condition and that the electricity
cables and wall connections are in good working order. This will prevent a
power failure caused by defective electrical apparatus.

(4) The hardware and software must be checked to ensure that they are in
working condition.

(5) Only approved hardware configurations and versions of software may be

used and certified.

(6) The Computer Applications Technology and/or Information Technology

teacher must ensure that all computers are “clean”. No programmes or
documents, hidden files and/or examples of any kind may be stored on the
hard disks or the network. This should not be accessible to candidates during
the examination.

(7) E-mails, internet messaging systems must be de-activated during the

examination.

(8) Security should be in place to prevent candidates from accessing other

computers, folders and/or documents.

(9) Passwords, which are familiar only to the invigilators, should be used as a
security measure during the examination session.

(10) If an examination is conducted in two sessions, invigilators must ensure that

all computers are clean when the second session starts. Candidates from
two sessions should not make contact. This includes emptying the recycle
bin.

88
(11) Printing is optional

(a) Printers must print clearly.

(b) Use new cartridges, if possible.
(c) The assessment body is responsible for supplying sufficient suitable
paper for printers.

(12) Ensure that the following settings for each computer are correct:

(a) date and time; and

(b) regional settings (South Africa).

(13) Disks or related storage media:

(a) The assessment body must supply each candidate with two clean
formatted disks or related storage media (one for backup) to save
his or her work on.

(b) The responsible teacher must format these disks or storage media
beforehand (even if new disks are being used).

(c) The disks must be clearly marked. Alternatively, schools that do not
work with disks, can submit all candidates’ files on CDs. One backup
CD must be submitted and one kept at the centre.

(14) Peer-to-peer networks do not provide the same level of security as server-based
networks. Therefore, the use of peer-to-peer networks is discouraged and
schools should disconnect them for the duration of the examination and use the
computers as stand-alone machines.

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(15) If schools use network facilities to conduct practical examinations, the
following steps must be taken to prevent possible copying of files by
candidates:

(a) Separate folders must be created for each candidate on the appropriate
network drive. The folder should be labelled with the candidate’s
examination number.
(b) The data files required by each candidate must be copied into each
folder or onto a suitable saving device.
(c) It must not be possible for the candidate to access any other data folders
on the network.
(d) A separate user ID and password must be created for each candidate
and these must be linked to a specific folder.
(e) The user ID and password must differ from those used by the
candidates during the normal course of their practical work.
(f) Access codes should preferably be randomly generated, e.g. user ID:
AxCyfDT, Password: ShwOfT.
(g) E-mail and messaging systems between work stations must be
deactivated during the examination, so that candidates are not able to
send messages or files from one work station to another.

(16) On some networks, it is possible to keep a log of access to folders. If the

network makes use of this facility, it should be activated during the
examination and retained after the completion of the examination, should any
queries concerning irregularities arise.

(17) Only legal copies of software may be used.

(18) There should be at least two additional computers and printers available as
backup.

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 (19) An experienced Computer Applications Technology or Information
Technology teacher must be present during all practical sessions, so that
he or she can provide the necessary assistance if computers are faulty.

(20) Invigilation

(a) A minimum of two teachers must be present as invigilators at each

centre during the examinations in Computer Application Technology
and Information Technology.

(b) Additional invigilators should be present in accordance with Table

1:

Table 1
Total
number of
Computer Applications End-of-
Number of invigilators
Technology/Information Invigilators session
candidates during the
Technology teacher assistance
end of the
session
Less than 3
1 1 1
10
10 – 25 1 2 2 5
26 – 40 1 3 3 7
More than 10
2 4 4
40

(21) Document retrieval

(a) One week before the examinations commence, schools will receive a disk
or related storage media with the documents for retrieval.
(b) The responsible teacher must make a backup copy of this storage
media immediately and determine if he or she can access the files.

91
 (c) It is the task of the responsible teacher to save this information on the
network or on the hard drives of individual computers, or to prepare an
individual disk for each candidate, one day prior to the commencement
of the examination. Examination centres must then be off limits.
(d) It is essential that each candidate's disk is carefully prepared a day
before the examination session commences.
(e) The teacher must ensure that each disk or storage medium is clearly
marked with the candidate’s examination number and the centre
number.
(f) Candidates may, under no circumstances, have access to these files
prior to the examination.

(22) The security process must be carried out under the supervision of the chief
invigilator.

(23) Schools will be permitted to run a maximum of two consecutive sessions of

computer practical examinations per day. The necessary precautions must
be taken in order to prevent communication between candidates in the two
groups.

(24) No cellphones, manuals and/or electronic documents are allowed inside the
examination centre, unless otherwise specified by the Department of Basic
Education and the assessment body.

(25) Candidates may use the help functions on the computer.

5. Procedure during the examination session

(1) Invigilators play a vital role in ensuring that no copying of any kind takes
place. Therefore, it is crucial that the minimum supervisory requirements
are strictly adhered to.

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(2) The additional assistant(s) used at the end of the session (last 30 minutes of
the session) must assist with printing and verifying that candidates’ files are
written to CDs and that the CDs can open. Invigilators must ensure that no
editing or keying in takes place after the examination time has elapsed.

(3) Candidates should save their work at regular intervals, e.g. every 10
minutes.

(4) If candidates wish to do the speed endorsement, they will do so at the

beginning of the examination session.

(a) A Computer Applications Technology and/or Information

Technology teacher will be present to manage the time of the
session in accordance with to keyboarding rules.

(b) The principals or centre managers and chief invigilators should be

informed of the fact that a timed accuracy test will be conducted.

(c) Although the instructions to invigilators state that no candidates

may be admitted to the examination room earlier that ten minutes
before the examination is due to start, candidates for the timed
accuracy test must be allowed into the examination room earlier in
order to practice on their computers and to get the computers ready
for the examination.

(d) Candidates must, however, terminate these activities fifteen

minutes before the examination commences.

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 (e) Candidates must be allowed fifteen minutes to read the instructions
on the examination question paper and to prepare themselves for
the timed accuracy test.

(f) Immediately after the timed accuracy test has been completed, the
answers must be printed and the invigilator must sign after the last
printed word on each page.
(g) Only one printout per candidate is allowed for the timed
accuracy test. The candidates may leave the room only after the
invigilator has ensured that all candidates have printed the timed
accuracy test.

(h) Candidates may use the spell-checker during the course of the
timed accuracy test.

6. If a power failure occurs during the examination, the following procedure should
be followed:

(1) Candidates are to remain in the computer room until the power supply has
been restored.

(2) Candidates may not communicate with each other while waiting for the
power supply to be restored.

(3) The time lost during the power failure should be allowed as additional
examination time.

(4) If, after two hours, the power supply has not been restored yet, the
examination should be rescheduled.

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 (5) The Department of Basic Education and the assessment body should be
informed of the power failure immediately.

(6) When a power failure occurs, the centre manager should inform the local
authorities immediately. He or she should also ascertain, if possible, how
long the power failure is likely to last.

(7) The disks with the work completed by the candidates are to be handed in
and submitted to the assessment body.

(8) In the case of an examination being cancelled due to a power failure, the
candidates should write the backup examination question paper on another
date.

(9) In the event where two examination sessions are scheduled during an
examination, namely in the morning and afternoon, the above procedure
applies to both sessions.

7. In the event of a computer breakdown during the examination, the following

procedure should be followed:

(1) Candidates must be moved to backup equipment immediately, and

appropriate additional time must be provided to the candidates concerned.
A period of 10 minutes must be provided in cases where the work has not
been saved by the candidate.

(2) No additional time will be allowed for work lost that was not correctly
saved.

(3) Candidates must complete the examination question paper within the set
time.

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 (4) Only the printing of results will be allowed after the set time has elapsed.

(5) Printouts

(a) The printing of questions is optional, but invigilators must take all
precautionary measures to ensure that the candidates’ files are
written to CD/storage media and are opening correctly.

(b) All other printouts must be handed in to the invigilator.

(c) These printouts must be destroyed after the conclusion of the

examination.

(d) No printouts are allowed to leave the examination room.

8. In the event where two sittings per day take place, the following procedure must
be followed:

(1) The responsible teacher will divide the candidates into two groups.

(2) Group 1 will complete the examination during the first sitting and Group 2
will complete it during the second sitting.

(3) Candidates in Group 2 must meet at least one hour before the end of the
first sitting. They will be invigilated and escorted to the computer room
before the start of the second sitting and after all the candidates from the
first sitting have left the computer room.

(4) No candidate may leave the examination room before the end of the
examination session.

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 (5) No contact between the two groups is permitted during either of the two
sessions.

9. Responsibilities of candidates

(1) Each candidate must complete the information sheet and folder
accompanying the examination question paper, including his or her
examination number, the examination centre number and the workstation
number.

(2) Candidates must further indicate what software packages they have used
in completing the examination question paper.

(3) Each candidate must save his or her work on the disk/storage media/folder
provided to him or her.

(4) These disks or storage media must be submitted, together with the
printouts, to the examination section of the assessment body.

(5) After completion of the examination, the candidates must make sure that
each file is stored on disk/folder and that each file opens from the storage
media.

(6) Candidates must only submit the relevant files for marking.

(7) Where different groups of candidates are sharing the same computer and
printer, it is essential that all candidates close all their files on the
computer and remove all printouts before the computer and printer may be
used by the next group of candidates.

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 (8) The second disk or other storage media should be used as backup for each
candidate.

10. After the practical examination session, the following procedure must be
followed:

(1) The responsible teacher must make backup or duplicate copies of

candidates’ work on relevant storage media. One backup disk must be
send to the marking centre and one disk must be kept at the school.

(2) Printouts (optional) and disks must be handled in the following way:

(a) Check that the printouts of a candidate are in the correct order.
Only one printout per question must be submitted.

(b) Place the candidate's information sheet, printouts and disk in a

specially designed examination folder (standardised format). Not
applicable if all the candidates’ folders are written to one
CD/DVD.

(c) The examination number and the centre number must be clearly
indicated.

(d) Organise all folders numerically and place them in a marked box.

(e) Answers to questions will be marked from the disks or storage

media, therefore it is essential that disks or storage media reach the
marking centre intact.

98
 ANNEXURE H

PRO FORMA SERVICE CONTRACT ENTERED

INTO BY,
AND BETWEEN, THE

PROVINCIAL ASSESSMENT BODY

AND AN

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IN RESPECT OF

REGISTRATION AS AN EXAMINATION CENTRE

FOR THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE

EXAMINATION

FOR

YEAR

______________________________________________
This is only valid for the year of examination (inclusive of the supplementary
(NAME OF SCHOOL)
examination).

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1. The conclusion of this contract confirms that the independent centre has met
the following minimum preliminary requirements for registration as an
examination centre:

1.1 sufficient space and appropriate furniture for the seating of candidates;
1.2 adequate general security;
1.3 a lock-up facility for the storage of examination material;
1.4 clearance – in terms of the applicable municipal by-laws – from the local
fire and health services;
1.5 provision of proper lighting;
1.6 access to sufficient water and acceptable and adequate toilet facilities;
1.7 teaching staff, suitably qualified and in sufficient numbers, to be trained
and utilised as invigilators; and
1.8 clear evidence of the ability to meet any and all costs relating to
electricity, water, taxes and/or rental for the premises for the duration of
the examination.

2. The Head of Department retains the right to re-evaluate the independent

centre at any time in respect of any or all of the above-mentioned criteria.

3. The Department of Basic Education retains the right to monitor the

conducting of the National Senior Certificate examination and related
assessment processes at the independent centre at any time, without prior
warning. This includes the appointment of a monitoring invigilator at the
assessment centre for the duration of the National Senior Certificate
examination.

4. The independent centre, in concluding this service contract, commits itself to

abide unquestionably by all regulations in respect of the conducting,
administration and management of the National Senior Certificate

100
 examination and related assessment processes, as well as procedures
contained in the applicable national and provincial regulations.

5. Where, in the opinion of the Head of Department, and as a result of a

preliminary investigation, developments at the independent centre may
adversely affect the interests of candidates or the integrity of the examination
or related assessment processes, the Department of Basic Education reserves
and retains the right to take control of the conducting, administration and
management of the examination centre with immediate effect.

6. Failure to abide by any of the regulations or other reasonable requests in

respect of the conducting, administration and management of the National
Senior Certificate examination and related examination processes, as well as
procedures contained in the national or provincial regulations, may result in
the deregistration of the independent centre as an examination centre by the
Department of Basic Education.

7. All examination centres are required to operate on premises that were

approved for this purpose by the Head of Department. Where relocation does
occur, the new premises must again be inspected by the relevant provincial
education department for evaluation as an examination centre.

8. No examination centre may consider relocation within or less than sixty (60)
days before the commencement of the final National Senior Certificate
examination.

9. Where relocation of an independent centre is unavoidable, due to external

factors (e.g. a natural disaster), the following procedure must be strictly
adhered to:

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 9.1 The Head of Department must immediately be informed in, writing, of the
enforced relocation.
9.2 Learners and their parent(s) or guardian(s) must be informed.
9.3 The independent centre is obliged to ensure the presence of proper notices at
the old centre, clearly indicating, inter alia, the location of the new venue,
the name of a contact person and a telephone number for the contact person.
9.4 The relevant provincial education department will ensure the publication of
such information in the printed/electronic media.

10. Procedure to follow when a centre relocates to new premises

10.1 Should any centre relocate to new premises, their registration as an

examination centre lapses immediately and they will be forced to seek
registration at the new premises from the Department of Basic Education.

10.2 In exceptional circumstances, and provided that the centre has an

unblemished record as far as irregularities and administration are
concerned, the Head of Department may allow the centre to continue to
operate for the current final exit examination year only, during which time
the centre must apply for, and be granted examination centre status in
respect of the new premises. Should such permission be refused, or for
any other reason not be granted, the registration of the centre shall lapse
forthwith.

10.3 Should this process run over the year-end, no new candidates may be
registered until a decision has been taken on the registration of the centre.

10.4 The onus is on the head of the institution (centre manager/principal) to

inform the Head of Department timeously of the intention to relocate.

102
 10.5 The Head of Department shall inform the chief invigilator, in writing, of
the course to be followed.

10.6 If the application for the registration of the centre is unsuccessful, the
Head of Department shall inform the head of the institution (centre
manager/principal) that the registration of the centre has elapsed.

10.7 The Head of the institution shall have the right to respond to the decision
and furnish reasons as to why the centre should not be deregistered.

10.8 The Head of Department shall consider such representation before making
a final decision. This decision must be conveyed, in writing, to the Head
of the institution. This decision is final.

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION:

INITIALS & SURNAME CAPACITY DATE

WITNESS I ___________________________________

WITNESS II ___________________________________

OWNER(S) OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL:

INITIALS & SURNAME CAPACITY DATE

WITNESS I ___________________________________

103
WITNESS II ___________________________________

MANAGEMENT OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL (IF DIFFERENT FROM

OWNER(S)):

INITIALS & SURNAME CAPACITY DATE

WITNESS I ___________________________________

WITNESS II ___________________________________

104
 ANNEXURE I

APPOINTMENT AND DUTIES OF CHIEF INVIGILATORS AND INVIGILATORS

1. CHIEF INVIGILATORS

(1) The Head of the assessment body must appoint the Principal of a school as
chief invigilator. However, the Head of the assessment body reserves the
right to appoint any competent school or office-based educator as chief
invigilator, should the Principal of the school be deemed to be incapable
of protecting the integrity of the external examination.

(2) The chief invigilator may delegate his or her duties, in writing, to his or
her representative, should he or she be absent, and must inform the
assessment body accordingly.

(3) The chief invigilator must appoint teachers, in writing, as invigilators

before the start of the National Senior Certificate examination and provide
the assessment body with a copy of the invigilation timetable.

(4) The chief invigilator must have a thorough knowledge of the procedures,
rules and regulations pertaining to the examination.

(5) The chief invigilator must train the invigilators before the start of the
National Senior Certificate examination.

2. INVIGILATORS

(1) At full-time examination centres, suitably qualified teachers from the

teaching staff may be appointed as invigilators by the chief invigilator. At

105
 private centres, invigilators are to be appointed in accordance with the
instructions of the Head of the assessment body.

(2) Invigilators must be appointed, in writing, before the commencement of

the examination. In the case of provincial assessment bodies, the relevant
head office and regional or district office should be informed of all
appointments.

(3) In addition to the chief invigilator, one invigilator must be appointed per
30 candidates or part thereof for every examination session.

Example: 1 - 30 candidates: 1 invigilator

31 - 60 candidates: 2 invigilators
61 - 90 candidates: 3 invigilators

(4) Under no circumstances should teachers be appointed to invigilate or even

to relieve other invigilators when the subject that they teach is being
written.

(5) Relief invigilators may be appointed for sessions with a duration of two
hours or longer. However, the relief period may only be for a maximum
period of twenty minutes during the session.

3. BRIEFING OF CHIEF INVIGILATORS AND TRAINING OF

INVIGILATORS

(1) Chief invigilators must attend a meeting where they are thoroughly briefed
with regard to the procedures, rules and regulations pertaining to the
examination.

106
 (2) Invigilators must be fully trained in invigilation and examination
administration, by the chief invigilator, before they assume duty in the
examination room.

4. INVIGILATION

(1) Duties of the Principal of the school or chief invigilator:

(a) The Principal of the school or chief invigilator is fully responsible

and therefore accountable for the examination conducted at his or
her examination centre. He or she must be present at the
examination centre for the entire duration of every examination
session.

(b) His or her specific examination-related duties may include the

following:

(i) The chief invigilator should select and appoint invigilators.

(ii) The chief invigilator should draw up invigilation and relief

invigilation timetables and submit these to the assessment
body for approval.

(iii) The chief invigilator should ensure the preparation and

readiness of the examination rooms, which include the
following:

(aa) Candidates may not sit two to a desk or table.

(bb) Candidates must be seated at least one metre apart.
(cc) All subject matter, such as drawings, must be
removed from the walls.

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 (dd) Chalk-boards must be cleared of any writing,
formulae or drawings.
(ee) Examination rooms must be sufficiently ventilated
and illuminated.
(ff) Where the examination venue is sufficiently big
enough to accommodate all the candidates,
candidates should be allocated permanent seats for
the duration of the examination.

(iv) The chief invigilator and the invigilators must ensure that
no material and/or equipment that are not required for the
writing of the examination are present in the examination
room, including cell phones.

(v) The chief invigilator should read the instructions relating to

the examination to candidates, and inform them that they
could forfeit their results should they contravene any of the
instructions.

(vi) The chief invigilator should before the commencement of

the examination session, point out that candidate must read
all the instructions carefully, so as to ascertain whether they
should answer all the questions or only a certain number of
questions.

(vii) The chief invigilator should ensure that candidates have ten
minutes reading time per examination question paper,
during which time which no writing may take place, before
the official commencement of the examination. This is over
and above the reading of any other instructions that may be
necessary.

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(viii) Before opening the examination question papers in the
examination room, the chief invigilator and an invigilator
should ascertain that the examination question paper is the
correct examination question paper, in terms of the time
and date specified on the examination timetable.

(ix) The chief invigilator should open the examination question

paper envelopes in front of the candidates and remain in the
examination room until the examination question papers
have been issued to candidates.

(x) The chief invigilator should visit the examination room

frequently during each session, and ensure that a high
standard of invigilation is maintained.

(xi) The chief invigilator should draw up a seating plan,

indicating the examination room with the desk
arrangements and the examination numbers of candidates.
Such seating plan must be submitted for each examination
question paper written. If the chief invigilator prefers to
combine groups in one hall or room, the arrangement will
have to be reflected on the plan.

(xii) The chief invigilator should ensure that there are no

unauthorised persons in and around the examination room.

(xiii) The chief invigilator should ensure that all candidates are
advised timeously of requisites such as rulers and drawing
instruments to be used in the writing of specific subjects.

109
(xiv) The chief invigilator should ensure that the invigilators
complete the absent and present columns on the mark
sheets correctly.

(xv) The chief invigilator should assist with relief invigilation in

centres.

(xvi) The chief invigilator should ensure that examination

answer scripts are properly batched and packed according
to the candidates' examination numbers, once the session
has ended. The mark sheet pertaining to a specific batch of
examination answer scripts must be included with that
batch.

(xvii) Examination answer scripts should be sealed in a special

envelope provided for such purpose, in order to prevent
them being tampered with.

(xviii) The collection of the examination answer scripts and the

delivery of the examination answer scripts to the regional,
district or circuit office, as arranged by the regional, district
or circuit office, is the responsibility of the chief
invigilator.

(xix) Chief invigilators should ensure that all equipment,

including computers, printers, typewriters and drawing
boards, to be used by candidates, are serviced timeously
and are in perfect working condition, and that they are
available at the examination venue on the day of the
examination.

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 (xx) The chief invigilator should collect, check and sign all
invigilation claim forms, if applicable.

(xxi) The chief invigilator should submit written reports on all

suspected cases of irregularities to the assessment body
without delay.
(2) Specific duties of invigilators

(a) Admission of candidates to, and their exit from the examination
room.

(i) Ensuring that every candidate produces his or her

admission letter, as well as proof of identity.

(ii) Ensuring that candidates are seated at least thirty minutes

before the commencement of the examination session.

(iii) The invigilator should ensure that the candidates have ten
minutes reading time per examination question paper.

(iv) Only in exceptional circumstances may a candidate be

admitted to the examination room after the commencement
of an examination, but not after an hour has passed.

(v) A candidate may not leave the examination room during

the course of the first hour of the examination session.

(vi) Only candidates who have registered for the examination,

the invigilators concerned, and the chief invigilator or an
authorised representative of the assessment body, may be
present during an examination.

111
 (vii) In an emergency a candidate may leave the examination
room temporarily but only under supervision.

(viii) The invigilator should move around the examination room

constantly, but without disturbing the candidates.

(ix) Any candidate contravening the rules and regulations of the

examination should be referred to the chief invigilator
without delay.

(x) The invigilator must check whether a candidate's

examination number, which appears on his or her timetable,
is written at the top of each examination answer book, and
at the top of each loose sheet of paper used by that
candidate during the examination.

(b) Instructions to candidates

The invigilator must read the instructions to candidates during an

information session before the actual start of the examination and,
if necessary, again at the start of each examination session.

(c) The following is a guideline of instructions that may be read to

candidates:

(i) No explanation of examination questions may be asked for

or given. Only questions relating to the number of
questions to be answered, and whether some questions are
compulsory, would be answered.

112
(ii) As soon as the candidates have handed in their
examination answer scripts, they must leave the
examination room. They will not be allowed to leave the
examination room within the first hour of the session. In an
emergency, a candidate will be allowed to leave the
examination room under supervision.

(iii) Candidates must not assist other candidates or try to assist

a candidate in getting help or communicating with
anybody. Any questions should be directed to the
invigilator.

(iv) Candidates may not create a disturbance in the

examination room or behave in an improper or unseemly
manner.

(v) Candidates may not disregard the instructions of the

invigilator.

(vi) Candidates may not have a book, memorandum, notes,

maps, photos or other documents or papers (including
unused paper), or any other material, which may be of help
to them in the examination, other than that which was
provided to them by the invigilator, and their letters of
admission or permits in their possession, while they are in
the examination room.

(vii) Only calculators, as approved and prescribed, may be used

by a candidate in the examination, except in subjects where

113
 these are indicated on the examination question paper as
being prohibited.

(viii) If candidates do not obey these instructions, they render

themselves liable to suspension from current and future
examinations, and the assessment body may, in such an
event, refuse to give them credit for other examination
question papers written.

(ix) All aids and answer books, as well as answer sheets issued
to candidates, must be handed in before they leave the
examination room.

(x) Any errata on a specific examination question paper must

be read to the candidates concerned.

(xi) Candidates are allowed ten minutes reading time of the

examination question paper before the official
commencement of the examination, during which time no
writing of any kind may take place.

(d) The chief invigilator must also refer candidates to the last two
pages of the examination timetable, where the Rules and
Regulations for Examinations are printed.

5. EXAMINATION ANSWER SCRIPTS

(1) All work, including rough work, must be done on the examination answer
script, answer book or papers provided. Candidates may not be given
additional examination answer books for rough work. All used answer
books, including spoiled answer books, are to be collected.

114
(2) Strict attention must be paid to the instructions, if any, printed at the top of
an examination question paper, on using separate answer sheets for
particular sections or parts of an examination question paper.

(3) Invigilators may not issue a second answer book to a candidate before they
have satisfied themselves that the first answer book is full, except where
subregulation 5(2) is applicable. Invigilators must ensure that candidates
do not receive more answer books than they require. Where more than
one (1) answer book is used, every answer book is to be numbered to
indicate the number of the answer book and the total number of answer
books handed in, 1 of 1 (only one answer book was handed in), 2 of 3 (the
second answer book of a total of 3).

(4) Under no circumstances may the names of the candidates or the name of
the institutions where they are enrolled, appear anywhere on their answer
books.

(5) Under no circumstances may a candidate be allowed to remove either a

used or an unused examination answer script from the examination room.

(6) Aerial photographs and topographic maps are to be collected on

conclusion of the examination and these may become the property of the
school concerned for future use in the teaching of Geography.

115
6. HANDLING OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPERS

(1) Before the examination commences, the chief invigilator is to draw the
attention of all candidates to:

(a) the main instructions on the examination timetable and on the

answer books;

(b) the fact that no recognition will be given to examination answer

scripts or any other answer sheets that candidates omit to hand in
immediately upon conclusion of the examination session in the
examination question paper concerned; and

(c) the number of questions to be answered.

(2) After the examination question papers have been distributed to candidates,
the invigilator must ask candidates to go through the examination question
paper with him or her, page by page, checking it against the certified copy,
in order to ensure that:

(a) the number of each page is correct;

(b) the name of the examination question paper is the same on each
page; and

(c) the frame/border around the printed matter is complete.

(3) Invigilators are to check against a control list (mark sheet) that every
candidate has received the correct examination question paper for the
subject the candidate entered. An examination question paper is therefore
not to be issued simply on a show of hands.

116
 (4) Invigilators may not, on any account, read aloud any question or part of a
question to a candidate, or draw attention to any error which he or she may
have observed in any of the examination questions, unless an erratum has
been included in the examination question paper. They may not respond
to any enquiry from a candidate in a manner that could be regarded as an
explanation of the question.

7. INVIGILATION SESSION

(1) Invigilators must ensure that candidates write their correct identity
numbers/examination numbers on their examination answer scripts.

(2) Chalk-boards must be cleared of all writing and drawings. All drawings
and maps must be removed from the walls.

(3) Each session must commence and be terminated according to the time
specified on the examination timetable.

(4) An invigilator may not knit, read, mark or do any work that will hamper
him or her in the execution of his or her duties as an invigilator. Cellular
phones may not be used by invigilators under any circumstances.

(5) An invigilator may not sit down, but must move about the examination
room without disturbing the candidates.

(6) An invigilator may not assist a candidate with the answering of any
examination question or explain any "unclear" part of the examination
question paper to a candidate.

117
 (7) An invigilator may not invigilate a subject which he or she teaches in any
grade, except where the subject demands it, e.g. Information Technology,
Computer Application Technology and Engineering Graphics and Design.

(8) Invigilators may not cause any disturbance.

(9) Invigilators may not leave the examination room or leave the candidates
unattended.

(10) An invigilator may not invigilate from outside the examination room by
looking through a window.

(11) Invigilators may not allow candidates to copy, or assist them, or allow
candidates to be assisted by anyone during the examination.

(12) Copies of examination question papers may not be given to anybody

outside the examination room, nor may they be taken out of the
examination room before the session has ended and the candidates have
left the room.

(13) Invigilators must adhere to the special examination requirements of certain

subjects.

8. RELIEF INVIGILATION

(1) All invigilators invigilating sessions longer than two hours should be
relieved for a maximum of 20 minutes.

(2) The Principal of the school or the chief invigilator acts as relief invigilator
for the first six invigilators.

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 (3) One (1) relief invigilator may be appointed for each six invigilators or part
thereof, for example:

1 - 6 invigilators: Principal of the school head or the chief invigilator;

7 - 12 invigilators: Principal of the school or the chief invigilator, + 1
relief invigilator.

9. PACKAGING OF THE EXAMINATION ANSWER SCRIPTS BY

INVIGILATORS AFTER EACH SESSION

(1) Invigilators should:

(a) Check that candidates who were present, and who wrote the
examination question paper, are marked present, and those who
were absent are marked absent.

(b) Arrange the examination answer scripts that belong to a specific

mark sheet in numerical order, in accordance with the examination
numbers appearing on the mark sheet. For example, if there are
hundred and fifty (150) candidates, there should be three (3) mark
sheets and three (3) piles of examination answer scripts.

(c) Place the mark sheet that belongs to a specific pile of examination
answer scripts on top of the pile of examination answer scripts.

(d) Wrap the examination answer scripts and the mark sheets and write
the centre number, the subject, for example Home Language or
First Additional Language, and the number of examination answer
scripts on the wrapper.

119
 (e) Make sure that all the examination answer scripts are handed in
and that each parcel of examination answer scripts is accompanied
by the relevant mark sheet.

(f) Deliver the examination answer scripts to the assessment body or

the official responsible for the collection of the examination
answer scripts. Examination answer scripts should be returned
daily to the assessment body by the chief invigilator, or by a
designated official.

10. DEALING WITH MARK SHEETS

(1) Mark sheets must be correctly completed by the invigilators on duty in the
examination room and checked with the help of the chief invigilator. The
following should be noted with regard to mark sheets:

(a) There must be at least one mark sheet for each subject written at a
centre.

(b) Different mark sheets are provided for languages.

(c) If there are more candidates entered for the subject that can appear
on one mark sheet further mark sheets, each with an own unique
number must be created.

(d) The examination numbers of candidates should appear on the mark

sheets.

(e) It is imperative that mark sheets be accompanied by the correct set

of examination answer scripts.

120
(f) The only “writing” which invigilators should do on the mark sheet
is the completion of the "absent or present" columns.

(g) All mark sheets must be returned to the provincial head office via
the regional, district or circuit office concerned, even if none of the
candidates wrote that particular examination question paper.

(h) Under no circumstances should any information be added to the

mark sheet.

(i) Information appearing on a mark sheet may not be deleted or

changed.

(j) If a mark sheet has not been included with the examination
question papers, this should be reported by the Principal of the
school or by the chief invigilator to the assessment body.

(k) In instances where mark sheets are not included with the
examination question papers, hand-written copies should be
completed and submitted.

121
 ANNEXURE J

RETURN OF EXAMINATION ANSWER SCRIPTS

1. Examination answer scripts should either be fetched from the examination centre
by an assessment body official, or delivered to the assessment body by the chief
invigilator or a representative.

2. A register should be kept at all points where examination answer scripts are being
transferred. Officials involved in the transfer of examination answer scripts should
sign this register, which should be kept at the regional or district office until the
end of the examination and then transferred to the provincial head office.

3. Under no circumstances should examination answer scripts be kept overnight at

an examination centre.

4. Examination answer scripts should also be sealed in a special envelope provided

for this purpose, in order to prevent them from being tampered with.

5. When examination answer scripts are received at the assessment body where they
should be checked against the relevant mark sheet, before being transferred to the
marking centre. A record should be kept of all examination answer scripts
transferred to the marking centre, and the marking centre manager must sign for
the receipt of these examination answer scripts.

6. A bar code tracking system, using hand-held scanners, is recommended.

122
 ANNEXURE K
APPOINTMENT OF MARKERS:
AN EXCERPT FROM THE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION MEASURES

“4.3 In respect of setting of an examination question paper where no suitable candidate

can be recruited with the set minimum qualifications or experience, the Director-
General (Education) may approve the appointment of a suitable candidate with
other appropriate post school qualifications or with less than the required
experience, after consultation in this regard with the relevant teacher unions. The
final decision with regard to the appointment of examiners and internal
moderators rests with the Director-General.” (Personnel Administration Measures
(PAM), pp. 104 & 105).” (Refer to a paragraph)

Markers are appointed in terms of the Personnel Administration Measures (PAM).

The criteria for the appointment of markers are as follows:

“4.4 The criteria to qualify for appointment as markers (including senior markers,
deputy chief markers and chief markers) should, in addition to those referred to in
paragraph 4.1 of the PAM document, include the following:

(1) a recognised three-year post school qualification, which must include the
subject concerned at second or third year level or other appropriate post
matric qualifications;

(2) appropriate teaching experience, including teaching experience at the

appropriate level, in the subject concerned;

(3) language competency; and

123
(4) in addition to the above criteria, preference should be given to serving
teachers who are presently teaching the subject concerned.

The provision in paragraph 4.2 of the PAM document for the relaxation
of requirements in respect of qualifications and experience also applies in
respect of these appointments.

The selection of markers for a specific examination question paper should

be carried out by a panel comprising:

(1) the chief examiner;

(2) relevant departmental officials; and
(3) teacher unions (as observers).” (Personnel Administration
Measures (PAM), p.105).

124
 ANNEXURE L

MARKING PROCEDURES

1. Marking will commence at the termination of the examination.

2. The marking procedure, in terms of the different subjects, should be left to the
chief marker, in consultation with the assessment body.

3. Chief examiners must submit detailed plans with regard to the marking procedure
and with special emphasis on:

(a) the flow of examination answer scripts through the marking teams;
(b) the mechanisms for controlling the flow of examination answer scripts;
(c) the moderation by senior markers;
(d) the checking of totals;
(e) The final mark is rounded down if the first decimal is less than 5 and
rounded up if the decimal is 5 and above e.g. a final mark of 70,3 will be
rounded down to 70 and a final mark of 70.6 is rounded up to 71.
(f) the completion of mark sheets; and
(g) the dispatching of completed examination answer scripts.

125
 ANNEXURE M
DEALING WITH DISCIPLINE AND MISCONDUCT – EXAMINATION
IRREGULARITIES

1. STRUCTURES FOR THE HANDLING OF IRREGULARITIES

(1) The National Examinations Irregularities Committee (NEIC)

The NEIC is a committee, established by the Minister, to support the

provincial departments of education in ensuring that the credibility of the
examination is maintained. This committee will co-ordinate the handling
of irregularities on a national level, and will ensure that a consistent
approach is implemented in the handling of irregularities across all nine
provincial departments of education.

(a) Composition of the NEIC

(i) The NEIC will comprise the following persons:

(aa) Two representatives from the Department of Basic

Education, appointed by the Director-General. The
representative from the Chief Directorate:
Educational Measurement, Assessment and Public
Examinations will serve as chairperson and the
second representative will be nominated from the
Department of Basic Education’s Legal Section.
(bb) One official from each of the provincial
departments of education, nominated by the Head of
Department.

126
 (cc) One representative from each of the independent
assessment bodies.

(ii) Additional members with observer status:

(aa) one representative from Higher Education South

Africa;
(bb) one representative from the South African
Qualifications Authority;
(cc) one representative from Umalusi; and
(dd) one representative from each of the teacher unions
recognised by the Education Labour Relations
Council (ELRC).

(iii) The members of the Committee, including the chairperson,

will be appointed by the Director-General. The Minister
will appoint the additional members with observer status,
based on nominations from the respective
organisations/institutions.

(b) Responsibilities of the NEIC

(i) The National Examinations Irregularities Committee will

have jurisdiction over any alleged examination irregularity
relating to, or occurring during the various stages of the
assessment process. These include:

(aa) registration of candidates;

(bb) compilation of internal assessment marks;
(cc) monitoring and moderation of internal assessment;

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 (dd) setting and moderation of examination question
papers;
(ee) writing of the examination;
(ff) marking of examination answer scripts;
(gg) capturing of marks;
(hh) standardisation of results;
(ii) the release of examination results; and
(jj) the certification process.

(ii) All decisions taken by the Provincial Examinations

Irregularities Committees (PEICs), relating to irregularities
in the above stages of the assessment process, will be
subject to final ratification by the NEIC.

(c) Functions of the NEIC

(i) The NEIC will be responsible for co-ordinating, as well as

supporting the PEICs in the handling of examination
irregularities in their respective provinces.

(ii) The NEIC will co-ordinate, as well as support the

Examinations Irregularities Committees of independent
assessment bodies.

(iii) The NEIC will also ensure that examination irregularities

are handled in a consistent manner across the country. This
will be accomplished by taking responsibility for the
following:

(aa) supporting the provincial departments of education

in the development of capacity relating to the

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 identification, investigation and reporting of
examination irregularities;
(bb) supporting the provincial departments of education
in the establishment of appropriate systems and
structures for the handling of irregularities;
(cc) providing time-frames for the finalisation of
examination irregularities that occur during the
different stages of the assessment process, so as to
ensure that a reasonable number of these
examination irregularities are finalised prior to the
release of the results;
(dd) ensuring that all PEICs comply with the
requirements relating to the submission of
irregularity reports to Umalusi.
(ee) evaluating the reports on irregularities received
from the PEICs and from the Examinations
Irregularities Committee of independent assessment
bodies, so as to ensure that the irregularities are
dealt with appropriately;
(ff) reviewing the recommendations of the PEICs and
the Examinations Irregularities Committee of
independent assessment bodies relating to sanctions
to be imposed, so that there is consistency in the
severity of sanctions;
(gg) supporting the provincial departments of education
in the handling of appeals submitted to the
department;
(hh) assisting the provincial departments of education in
identifying institutions that have recurring
irregularities and establishing whether those
institutions have sufficient credibility to be

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 registered as examination centres, and making
recommendations on action to be taken; and
(ii) investigating examination irregularities as requested
by the Director- General.

(2) The PEIC

(a) Each provincial education department must establish a PEIC.

(b) The PEIC must take responsibility for the handling of examination
and assessment irregularities at provincial level.

(c) The Head of Department must appoint the members of the PEIC.

(d) The composition of the PEIC should be as follows:

(i) Five officials who are in the employ of the provincial

Department of Basic Education, are recommended to the
Head of Department for appointment by the Provincial
Examinations Board.

(ii) The provincial education department must include persons

with competencies and expertise in the following areas:

(aa) the education system as a whole;

(bb) the examination system;
(cc) practising as a professional legal practitioner;
(dd) subject area specialisation, who will be co-opted as
the need arises; and
(ee) labour relations.

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 (iii) In addition, the following persons will be appointed as
observers:

(aa) one representative from Higher Education South

Africa;
(bb) one representative from the South African
Qualifications Authority;
(cc) one representative from Umalusi; and
(dd) one representative from each of the recognised
teacher unions that are active in the province, or
recognised by the Education Labour Relations
Council.

(iv) All members of the PEIC, as well as the chairperson, will

be appointed by the Head of Department. Additional
members with observer status will be appointed by the
MEC.

(e) Jurisdiction of the PEIC

(i) The PEIC has jurisdiction over any alleged examination

irregularities, relating to, or occurring during the following
processes:

(aa) the compilation, monitoring and moderation of

internal assessment;
(bb) the printing and distribution of examination
question papers;
(cc) writing of the final National Senior
Certificate examination;
(dd) the marking of examination answer scripts;

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 (ee) the processing and release of examination results;
and
(ff) any other irregularities related to the examination.

(f) Functions of the PEIC

(i) The PEIC must investigate and make recommendations

regarding appropriate action to the Head of Department, or
his or her representative, in respect of the following:

(aa) misconduct by educators in the compilation,

monitoring or moderation of internal assessment;
(bb) misconduct by any person involved in any one or all
processes with regard to assessment;
(cc) misconduct by chief invigilators, examination
monitors or officials involved in the administration,
running, management or monitoring of
examinations;
(dd) misconduct by invigilators or any other person
involved in the administration, management or
monitoring of examinations at public or
independent schools, or learning institutions, which
are registered as examination centres with the
relevant provincial education department;
(ee) examination irregularities involving candidates in
public or independent schools, or learning
institutions, which are registered as examination
centres with the relevant provincial education
department;
(ff) irregularities in the appointment of chief
invigilators, invigilators, internal moderators, chief

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 examiners, chief markers, deputy chief examiners,
deputy chief markers, senior markers, markers,
monitors or administrative assistants;
(gg) any action by an outside body or person that may
impact adversely in any way on the successful
administration, management or monitoring of the
assessment or examination, or compromise the
integrity and legitimacy of such assessment or
examination;
(hh) examination irregularities, based on reports or
complaints received from any quarter; and
(ii) any other irregularities related to the examination.

(ii) The PEIC may utilise the services of other officials from
provincial education departments to conduct investigations
and hearings. These officials will operate under the
jurisdiction of the PEIC and will report to the PEIC.

(3) The Independent Examinations Irregularities Committee

(a) Such independent assessment body must establish an Examinations

Irregularities Committee.

(b) The composition and functions of the Examinations Irregularities

Committee, established by the independent assessment bodies,
may be similar to that of the PEIC.

(c) The Examinations Irregularities Committee, contemplated in

subregulations (3)(a) and (3)(b), must handle and report all
irregularities to the NEIC.

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(4) School Assessment Irregularities Committee

(a) Each school must establish a School Assessment Irregularities

Committee (SAIC) whose composition and functions will be
determined by the provisions of the policy of the assessment body.

(b) The SAIC must be established by the school principal, subject to

the approval of the Head of Department or an official delegated by
the Head of Department. This committee will ensure the credibility
of internal assessment and examinations conducted at school, by
co-ordinating the handling of irregularities and ensuring a
consistent approach in the handling of irregularities.

(c) The SAIC must consist of the following persons:

(i) The district official serving the school should be the

chairperson of the SAIC.
(ii) The School Principal.
(iii) One person from the School Management Team (SMT).
(iv) One person from the teaching staff who is not a member of
the SMT.
(v) One member of the School Governing Body (SGB).

(d) One District official nominated by the District Manager will serve
as the ex-officio member of SAIC.

(e) In addition, one representative from each of the teacher unions

recognised by the ELRC, will be nominated as observers.

(f) All members of the SAIC will be appointed by the District

Manager.

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(g) The duration of the term of office of the SAIC will be three years.

(h) All vacant posts must be filled and approved by the Head of the
District Manager or his or her delegate.

(i) The jurisdiction of the SAIC:

(i) The SAIC will have jurisdiction in any alleged internal

assessment irregularities.
(ii) These irregularities may occur during the various stages of
the internal assessment process, which includes:

(aa) Compilation of internal assessment marks.

(bb) Monitoring and moderation of internal assessment.

(iii) Conditions under which educators conduct internal

assessment.

(iv) Conditions under which learners are internally assessed.

(v) Capturing and processing of data in respect of internal

assessment.

(vi) Any other irregularity related to internal assessment.

(vii) Setting and moderating of internal assessment question

papers

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(k) The functions of the SAIC

(i) The SAIC must -

(aa) Work closely with the examination official based at

the District offices in respect of all internal
assessment irregularities that could occur at all
stages.
(bb) Investigate all irregularities by educators in the
internal assessment process.
(cc) Investigate all internal assessment irregularities by
any other person involved in internal assessment
processes.
(dd) Investigate all irregularities committed by learners
during the internal assessment process.
(ee) Investigate any other internal assessment
irregularity as and when requested by the
district/regional director or his or her nominee.
(ff) Report all internal assessment irregularities to the
PEIC.

(l) Irregularities relating to internal assessment and Practical

Assessment Tasks that may be handled by the SAIC:

(i) Irregularities involving candidates during internal

assessment and the conduct of Practical Assessment Tasks,
may include the following:

(aa) A candidate who refuses to abide by any or all of

the minimum requirements in respect of the

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 compilation of a mark for internal assessment in a
subject, with no valid reason;
(bb) A candidate who presents work that is not his or her
original work. This may take various forms and
may include the following:
(aaa) Copying verbatim from another source. In
this case, if the teacher is suspicious and has
evidence of sections or the complete
assignment or project being lifted verbatim
from another source, this must be declared
an irregularity;
(bbb) An assignment/project that is not his or her
own effort. This may have been completed
by another learner, his or her parent, or
purchased;
(ccc) Reproduction of an assignment or project
from another learner and there is evidence of
such copying;
(ddd) Work that has been previously presented and
for which marks were awarded, which could
either be his or her own effort or that of
another individual;
(eee) The whole or part of a portfolio that is not
his or her own, but that of another learner
from the same school/learning institution or
another school/learning institution; and
(fff) A candidate who resorts to any dishonest act
to mislead the educator in terms of the
authenticity/originality of the portfolio
presented.

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 (cc) A candidate who, in respect of a component of a
mark for internal assessment or Practical
Assessment Tasks that is completed under
controlled conditions does the following:

(aaa) Creates a disturbance or intimidates others,

or behaves in an improper or unseemly
manner despite a warning;
(bbb) Is drunk or behaves in a disorderly manner;
(ccc) Disregards the arrangements or reasonable
instructions of the educator despite a
warning; or
(ddd) Continues to disregard assessment
regulations despite a warning.

(dd) A candidate making a false statement in respect of

the authenticity of a particular component of the
mark for internal assessment.

(ii) Irregularities involving teachers and other assessment

officials during internal assessment or Practical Assessment
Tasks may occur during the following stages at the school
or learning institution:

(aa) The compilation of the mark for internal assessment

and Practical Assessment Tasks;
(bb) The monitoring or moderation of the mark achieved
in respect of internal assessment and Practical
Assessment Tasks;
(cc) The capturing and processing of data; and

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 (dd) Investigations in respect of suspected internal
assessment or Practical Assessment Tasks
irregularities.

(iii) The assessment irregularities may include the following:

(aa) The teacher willfully and intentionally, without a

valid reason, fails to satisfy the requirements or
excludes one or more assessment tasks from the
compilation of the final assessment marks;
(bb) The teacher alters, in other words, either decreases
or increases the marks of candidates without the
approval of the internal moderator or head of the
institution;
(cc) The teacher willfully provides assistance to a
learner that advantages a learner unfairly in
comparison to other learners; and
(dd) The teacher who collaborates with a candidate who
presents the whole or part of the evidence of learner
performance that is not her or his own work.

(m) Reporting

The SAIC must report all internal assessment irregularities, in

writing, to the Provincial Examinations Irregularities Committee
(PEIC), within seven days of the alleged irregularity. In cases
where an irregularity requires an investigation, the initial reporting
must be followed by a detailed report on conclusion of the
investigation.

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2. CATEGORISATION OF EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES

(1) Examination irregularities must be categorised as follows:

(a) Administrative errors or omissions;

(b) Behavioural Offences; and
(c) Acts of Dishonesty.

3. IDENTIFICATION OF IRREGULARITIES IN RESPECT OF INTERNAL

ASSESSMENTAND PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT TASKS

(1) Candidates

(a) Irregularities in respect of internal assessment, and involving

candidates, may occur via administrative errors or omissions, or
they may derive from behavioural offences or acts of dishonesty.

(b) This category of irregularity includes:

(i) A candidate not fulfilling the minimum requirements in

respect of the compilation of a mark for internal assessment
in a subject.

(ii) A candidate refusing to abide by any or all of the minimum

requirements in respect of the compilation of a mark for
internal assessment in a subject and Practical Assessment
Tasks.

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 (iii) A candidate who, in respect of any component of a mark
for internal assessment, completed under controlled
conditions, is guilty the following:

(aa) continues to create a disturbance or intimidate

others, or behave in an improper or unseemly
manner, despite a warning;
(bb) drunk or disorderly conduct;
(cc) persists in disregarding the arrangements or
reasonable instructions of a teacher, despite a
warning; or
(dd) continues to disregard assessment regulations,
despite a warning.

(iv) A candidate knowingly making a false statement in respect

of the authenticity of a particular component of the mark
for any part of the internal assessment in a subject, or the
internal assessment mark for the subject as a whole.

(2) Examination officials

(a) Irregularities in respect of internal assessment could be committed

by:

(i) Educators, such as teachers or Principals at schools or

learning institutions, or staff members from Professional
Support Services or related directorates, or circuit
managers, whose normal job description automatically
incorporates such duties.

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(ii) Teachers in the immediate employ of an independent
school or learning institution, registered as an examination
centre with the relevant provincial education department
who, in the performance of assessment duties, are acting
under the jurisdiction of the relevant provincial education
department.

(iii) Administrative staff members whose duties include work

being done in respect of examination, certification and
accreditation.

(iv) Administrative staff members in the immediate employ of

an independent school or learning institution, registered as
an examination centre with the relevant provincial
education department who, in the performance of
examination duties, are acting under the jurisdiction of the
relevant provincial education department.

(v) Irregularities in respect of internal assessment, involving

examination officials, may be identified at any of the
following stages:

(aa) The compilation of the mark for internal assessment

at the school or learning institution.
(bb) The monitoring or moderation of the mark achieved
in respect of internal assessment.
(cc) The capturing and processing of data.
(dd) An investigation in respect of suspected internal
assessment irregularities.

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 (vi) The assessment irregularities may include the following:

(aa) The teacher wilfully and intentionally, without any

valid reason, fails to satisfy the requirements, or
excludes one or more assessment tasks from the
compilation of the final assessment marks.
(bb) The teacher alters, in other words, either decreases
or increases, the marks of candidates without the
approval of the internal moderator or head of the
institution.
(cc) The teacher wilfully provides assistance to a learner
that gives such learner an unfair advantage
compared to other learners.
(dd) The teacher collaborates with a candidate who
presents an entire portfolio or part thereof, which is
not his or her own work.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES IN

RESPECT OF THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTICATE EXAMINATION

(1) Examination irregularities, caused by administrative errors and omissions

(a) Administrative errors and omissions include:

(i) Failure of the candidate to produce an identity document

(as opposed to a fraudulent identity document).
(ii) Failure of the invigilator to check identity documents.
(iii) Late delivery of examination question papers at an
examination centre.
(iv) An incorrect or no examination number.
(v) The examination number not appearing on the mark sheet.

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 (vi) An examination answer script that is damaged.
(vii) An examination answer script that is found amongst
examination answer scripts from another examination
centre or a different subject.
(viii) Examinations conducted at an examination centre other
than the examination centre where the candidate is
registered.
(ix) An examination answer script that is lost or missing.
(xi) Any other technical difficulty or problem with either
examination answer scripts, answer sheets or proceedings.

(2) Examination irregularities involving candidates, arising from behavioural

offences or wilful disobedience with regard to regulations or instructions
issued during an examination.

(a) This category of examination irregularity includes:

(i) Creating a disturbance or intimidating others or behaving in

an improper or unseemly manner, despite a warning.
(ii) Disorderly conduct.
(iii) Disregard for the arrangements or reasonable instructions
of the invigilator, despite a warning.
(iv) Disregard for examination regulations, despite a warning.
(v) The non-disclosure of, or refusal to hand over a cellphone
or any other material.

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(3) Examination irregularities involving examination officials

(a) Examination irregularities in respect of the examination could be

committed by:

(i) educators, such as teachers or Principals at schools, or staff

members from Professional Support Services or related
directorates, or circuit managers, etc., whose normal job
descriptions automatically incorporate such duties;

(ii) teachers in the immediate employ of an independent

school, registered as an examination centre with the
relevant provincial education department who, in their
performance of examination duties, are acting under the
jurisdiction of the relevant provincial education
department;

(iii) administrative staff members whose duties include work

being done in respect of examinations, certification and
accreditation; and

(iv) administrative staff members in the immediate employ of

an independent school or, registered as an examination
centre with the relevant provincial education department
who, in the performance of examination duties, are acting
under the jurisdiction of the relevant provincial education
department.

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(b) Examination irregularities may be identified at any of the
following stages:

(i) Registration of candidates.

(ii) Appointment of examiners and internal moderators.
(iii) The setting, as well as the internal and external
moderation of the examination question papers.
(iv) Editing, proof-reading, translation and final approval of
examination question papers.
(v) Printing, packaging and storage, as well as the
distribution of examination question papers to
examination centres.
(vi) The setting, moderation, translation or editing of external
examination question papers.
(vii) The typing, printing, packaging, distribution, collection
or delivery of external examination question papers or
examination answer scripts.
(viii) Checking of examination answer scripts by assessment
bodies, and the distribution of examination answer scripts
to marking centres.
(ix) Invigilation and monitoring.
(x) Marking.
(xi) Data capturing and processing.
(xii) The release of examination results.

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(4) Irregularities that may occur during the conducting of the examination

(a) Examination irregularities, identified during the writing of the

examination, may be classified as follows:

(i) Candidates misbehaving or wilfully disobeying regulations

or instructions issued during an examination.
(ii) Candidates engaging in dishonest acts during the
examination process.
iii) Department officials/teachers contravening the legislation
in terms of the conducting of the National Senior
Certificate examination, so as to give candidates an unfair
advantage/disadvantage in the examination.

(b) The above categories of examination irregularities include:

(i) creating a disturbance, intimidating others or behaving in

an improper or unseemly manner;
(ii) disorderly conduct;
(iii) disregard for the arrangements or reasonable instructions of
the invigilator, despite a warning; and
(iv) disregard for examination regulations.

(c) Candidates engaging in dishonest acts during the examination

process include acts that are identified before the commencement
of the examination, as well as acts that are identified while the
examination question paper is being written.

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(d) Acts by candidates or officials that are identified before the
commencement of the examination, include the following:

(i) Presentation of fraudulent identification documents.

(ii) Failure to present identification documents.
(iii) Bribery or attempted bribery.
(iv) Access to leaked examination question paper.
(v) Possession of unauthorised examination material, such as
equipment.

(e) Acts that are identified while the examination question paper is
being written, include the following:

(i) Possession of notes or any other unauthorised material that

could, in any way, assist them in the answering of questions
related to the subject matter.
(ii) Copying from notes or textbooks or any other unauthorised
material.
(iii) Copying from fellow-candidates.
(iv) Attempting to obtain assistance from, or being assisted by
another candidate or any other individual.
(v) Assisting or attempting to assist another candidate.
(vi) Receiving assistance from any other source.
(vii) An examination question paper written by another or a
substitute candidate.
(viii) The use of another candidate’s examination number.
(ix) Any other type of conduct or possession, which could
render improper assistance or an unfair advantage to a
candidate and thereby prejudicing other candidates.
(x) The use or possession of a cellphone, programmable
calculators or any other electronic device that may be of

148
 assistance to the candidates while writing the examination,
except where the examination instructions specify
otherwise.
(xi) Any other action that is in contravention of the relevant
legislation.

(f) Acts that are identified while examination answer scripts are
handed in or marked, include the following:

(i) The examination answer script handed in is different to the

one issued by the invigilator.
(ii) Different sets of handwriting are identified in an
examination answer script.
(iii) Two examination answer scripts are submitted for one
candidate.
(iv) Crib notes that are discovered.
(v) There are no crib notes, but there is clear evidence of
copying.
(vi) Evidence of possible assistance by an invigilator.
(vii) Indications that the candidate has been allowed to write the
examination as an “open book” examination, although this
was not included in the instruction to the invigilator.
(viii) Answers that are identical or too similar to the
memorandum.
(ix) An answer script, or any part thereof, being removed from
the examination room and submitted later.
(x) An examination conducted outside the examination room
or examination centre, without prior authorisation.

(g) If, at any of the stages relating to the writing of the examination,
there should be evidence that there has been a contravention of the

149
 relevant legislation on the part of examination officials involved in
these processes, which could result in an unfair advantage to a
candidate writing the examination, this must be declared an
irregularity.

(5) Irregularities that may occur during the marking process

Irregularities during the marking process relate to irregularities identified

by markers of examination answer scripts, and any other acts committed
by examination officials and markers, which are in contravention of the
national and provincial regulations.

(6) Irregularities committed by examination officials or markers

(a) Any evidence indicating that an examination official or a marker

has engaged in the following acts, constitutes an irregularity:

(i) Failure to adhere to the criteria and the prescribed process

for the appointment of markers, senior markers, chief
markers, examination assistants and other persons
involved in examination-related work, as prescribed in
the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No. 27 of
1996).
(ii) An appointed marker is found to have made a false
statement in his or her application.
(iii) Markers who are not adhering to prescribed policy and
the requirements for marking.
(iv) Misbehaviour by a marker at a marking venue or at the
place of accommodation for markers.

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 (v) Any action that indicates wilful intent to misplace or
destroy the examination answer scripts of a candidate or
candidates.
(vi) The removal of examination answer scripts from the
marking centre.
(vii) Awarding of marks to candidates that cannot be justified
by the evidence on the examination answer script or the
memorandum.
(viii) Manipulation of the marks, so as to unfairly advantage or
disadvantage a candidate or candidates.
(ix) Any other act that is in contravention of these regulations.
(x) Any attempt of assisting a candidate that may result in an
unfair advantage.

(7) Irregularities identified by markers

(a) Irregularities identified by markers at marking centres, include the

following:

(i) The examination answer script handed in is different from

the one issued by the invigilator.
(ii) Different sets of handwriting are identified in an
examination answer script.
(iii) Two examination answer scripts, written by two different
candidates, are submitted with the same examination
number.
(iv) Crib notes discovered in the examination answer script.
(v) There are no crib notes, but there is clear evidence of
copying.
(vi) Evidence of possible assistance by an invigilator.

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 (vii) Indications that the candidate has been allowed to write the
examination in terms of an “open book” examination.
(viii) Answers that are identical or too similar to the
memorandum.

(8) Irregularities that may occur during the capturing process, during
standardisation, the release of results, the issuing of statements and during
the certification process

(a) A contravention of these regulations at any of the stages relating to

the capturing, processing, standardisation, release of the results and
certification, on the part of examination officials involved in these
processes, which could undermine the credibility of the
examination results, must be declared an irregularity.

(b) Some of the actions deemed to be irregular during the processes

include are as follows:

(i) Negligence.
(ii) Indolence.
(iii) Failure to abide by relevant legislation or policies or
regulations.
(iv) The unauthorised release of sensitive/confidential
information.
(v) Misuse of authority for private gain or reward.
(vi) Unauthorised access to examination data or subject credits.
(vii) Failure to verify information accurately on certificates and
qualifications.
(viii) Any act by a candidates or official, which may give the
candidate concerned, an unfair advantage.

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 (c) It is the duty of the examination official or the systems
administrator or the service provider responsible for these
functions, to ensure the accuracy of the examination data that is
provided. Any data being presented that is inaccurate, must be
regarded as an irregularity.

(d) The provision of examination data to any institution or individual,

without the approval of the Director-General or Head of
Department, or his or her representative, constitutes an irregularity.

5. ASSESSMENT IRREGULARITY PROCEDURES

(1) Procedures in respect of internal assessment candidates

(a) Internal assessment irregularities involving candidates must

be dealt with at school or learning institution level, by the
SAIC, in accordance with the policy provided by the
provincial departments of education. Serious cases may be
referred to the regional or PEIC.

(b) Where a candidate does not comply with the minimum

requirements of any component of the internal assessment
mark, the following applies:

(i) In the event of a valid reason for failure to comply,

the candidate must be allowed the opportunity to
redo the task; or
(ii) where impractical, the mark for that particular
component of the internal assessment mark should
not be taken into consideration.

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 (c) Where a candidate does not comply with the minimum
requirements for internal assessment for a subject, without a valid
reason, a “0” (zero) mark is recorded and used in the compilation
of the mark for the particular component, or for internal
assessment as a whole (as may be applicable).

(d) The absence of an internal assessment mark in any subject must

result in the candidate, registered for that particular subject,
receiving an “incomplete” result.

(2) Procedures in respect of internal assessment pertaining to assessment

officials

(a) All alleged irregularities in respect of internal assessment,

involving examination officials, must be reported by the head of
the institution to the provincial Head of Department or his or her
representative. Recurring cases must be reported to the NEIC.

(b) Suspected internal assessment irregularities involving teachers,

constitute an act of misconduct and must be dealt with in terms of
the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998).

(c) Suspected internal assessment irregularities, involving assessment

officials employed in terms of the Public Service Act, constitute an
act of misconduct and must be dealt with in accordance with the
relevant Public Service Regulations.

(d) Prior to an investigation being conducted in respect of assessment

officials suspected of an internal assessment irregularity, the Head
of Department or his or her representative, provided that

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 substantial evidence in respect of the alleged irregularity exists,
may:

(i) immediately suspend the services of a suspected defaulting

official with regard to marking, monitoring or moderation;

(ii) immediately suspend the services of a suspected defaulting

official in respect of any or all related assessment
processes; or

(iii) in the event of independent schools or learning institutions

registered as examination centres with the relevant
provincial education department, the Head of Department
or his or her representative may insist on the application of
the relevant clauses of the Service Contract entered into
with the particular examination centre.

(3) Procedures in respect of irregularities, identified during the Planning and

Preparatory Phase of the external examination

(a) The Head of Department or his or her representative may

immediately suspend an examination official from undertaking
assessment-related activities, or suspend an examination official
who contravenes any of these regulations, and the matter must be
dealt with in terms of the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act
No. 76 of 1998) or in terms of the Public Service Act, or in terms of
any other relevant legislation.

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 (b) Examination irregularities, identified as having occurred prior to
the examination question paper being written, may include the
leakage of the examination question papers.

(i) The first step in such an event is to determine the extent of

the leakage; which must be determined by the PEIC or by a
team delegated by the PEIC.

(ii) In the event of the leakage of a national examination

question paper, the Director-General of the Department of
Basic Education and the Minister of Basic Education
should decide on the most appropriate course of action.

(iii) The PEIC must institute a full investigation, in order to

ascertain the source of the leakage. The South African
Police Services (SAPS) and other investigation experts may
be included in the investigation process.

(iv) Any other examination irregularity, identified prior to the

writing of the examination question paper, which may
impact on the integrity of the examination, must be dealt
with prior to the examination question paper being written.

(4) Procedures in respect of Examination Irregularities identified during the

conducting of examinations

(a) The Head of Department or his or her representative may

immediately suspend an examination official from undertaking any
examination-related activities, or suspend an official who
contravenes any of these regulations, and the matter must be dealt
with in terms of the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act No.

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 76 of 1998) or in terms of the Public Service Act, or in terms of any
other relevant legislation.

(b) Examination irregularities, arising from misconduct or

disobedience with regard to regulations or instructions issued
during an examination, must be dealt with as follows:

(i) In all cases the invigilator must immediately bring the

specific examination irregularity to the attention of the
chief invigilator.

(ii) The chief invigilator must then offer the candidate

suspected of an irregularity the opportunity to make a
representation, in writing, in the presence of the invigilator.

(iii) If the chief invigilator, after considering the facts, finds that
such an irregularity has indeed occurred, he or she must
submit the matter to the PEIC for further investigation and
a decision.

(iv) In the event of a candidate persistently refusing to co-

operate, the chief invigilator must request the candidate
suspected of an irregularity to leave the examination room.

(v) The examination answer script must be removed from the

candidate’s possession and a note made of the date and
exact time of its confiscation. Should the candidate refuse
to leave, the chief invigilator may call upon the SAPS for
assistance.

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 (vi) If the candidate agrees to co-operate, the chief invigilator
must allow him or her to continue with the written
examination, in which case a new answer book, with the
date and exact time of issue noted thereon, must be
provided to the candidate.

(vii) The chief invigilator must forward his or her report,

together with a report from the invigilator on duty at the
time of the alleged irregularity, as well as the candidate’s
representation and a written account of events or any
statement or exhibit, to the PEIC.

(c) In the event of examination irregularities being identified while the

examination question paper is being written, the following
procedure should apply:

(i) The invigilator must remove the candidate’s examination

answer script and write the word, “IRREGULARITY”, on
the front outside cover page, as well as the kind of
irregularity, and the date, time and place of the irregularity.

(ii) The words, “Examination answer script confiscated

on…at…hours”, must be written, in bold print, on the
outside front cover page.

(iii) The invigilator must take possession of any unauthorised or

incriminating material, such as notes, or any other object
used directly or indirectly, or found in the possession of the
candidate, which may have been used to commit the
irregularity. By bringing the unauthorised material into the

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 examination room, the candidates should take
responsibility for the resulting implications.

(iv) Such material must be attached to the confiscated

examination answer script, which then becomes the
property of the relevant provincial education department,
and neither the candidate nor his or her parent(s) or
guardian(s) has/have the right to demand its return.

(v) The invigilator must then hand the candidate a new answer
script. This answer script must also be endorsed with the
words, “NEW ANSWER SCRIPT”, together with the date
and time of issue.

(vi) The candidate must be informed that the fact that he or she
is being allowed to continue with the examination, does not
serve as a condonation of his or her contravention of the
examination regulations, and that a written report will be
submitted to the chief invigilator at the conclusion of the
examination, and that the incident will be reported to the
PEIC.

(vii) The invigilator must not allow any additional time to

compensate for time lost in the course of detecting and
processing the examination irregularity.

(viii) The invigilator, following the completion of the

examination, must immediately submit a full report, in
writing, to the chief invigilator regarding the irregularity.

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 (ix) The candidate, following the completion of the
examination, must be confronted about the irregularity and
requested to provide a written declaration or response to the
alleged offence.

(x) Should the candidate refuse to submit the required written

declaration or to provide a response, this refusal must be
confirmed in writing by the invigilator. The candidate must
then sign the invigilator’s written statement.

(xi) Should the candidate refuse to comply with subregulation

(4)(c)(iii), another invigilator, attached to the examination
centre, must provide a written statement, confirming the
refusal of the candidate to provide a written declaration.

(xii) The examination answer script, any incriminating material

and all applicable statements must then be sent for marking
in the normal way, and subsequently forwarded to the
Provincial Examinations Irregularities Committee.

(5) Procedures in respect of examination irregularities identified during the

marking process

(a) In the event of examination irregularities relating to the marking

process, as contemplated in subregulation 5(4), 5(5) and 5(6),
which are committed by examination officials, the Head of
Department or his or her representative may immediately suspend
an examination official who contravenes any of these regulations,
and the matter must then be dealt with in terms of the Employment
of Educators Act, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998) or in terms of the
Public Service Act, or in terms of any other relevant legislation.

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(b) Examination irregularities, identified by markers during the
marking process, must be dealt with as follows:

(i) All examination irregularities suspected by markers, must

be reported immediately to the senior marker, the deputy
chief marker or the chief marker, who then refers it to the
centre manager. The matter is then referred to the Head of
Examinations and the PEIC.

(ii) Examination answer scripts in which alleged examination

irregularities were identified, must be marked as usual. The
word “IRREGULARITY” must be written in red ink on the
front cover, along the margin.

(iii) These examination answer scripts must then be handed in,

together with the other examination answer scripts and
completed mark sheets, for the attention of the senior
marker, the deputy chief marker, or the chief marker. The
marks of the suspect candidate must be entered onto the
mark sheet, with an indicator stating “Irregular”.

(iv) Where an examination answer script is found amongst

those from another examination centre, or where a
candidate has been writing the examination at an
examination centre other than the examination centre where
originally registered, the first examination centre must then
contact the examination centre at which the examination
should have been conducted, and arrange, via the regional
office or area project office, for the transfer of the
candidate’s examination answer script.

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 (v) Where an examination answer script is lost, the matter must
be referred to Umalusi to decide upon the most appropriate
course of action, as this constitutes an irregularity.

(vi) If the senior marker agrees with the finding of the marker,
he or she must clearly indicate the location of the
examination irregularity on each examination answer script
and hand the whole batch of examination answer scripts
over to the relevant deputy chief marker or to the chief
marker.

(vii) Where the senior marker disagrees with the findings of the
marker, the examination answer script should be handed to
the deputy chief marker or to the chief marker for a second
opinion. If the deputy chief marker or the chief marker
concurs with the senior marker, the examination answer
script must be returned to the marker for normal
processing.

(viii) If the suspected examination irregularity is confirmed by

the deputy chief marker or the chief marker, the prescribed
irregularity report must be completed and forwarded,
together with the evidence, to the Head of Examinations
and the PEIC.

(6) Procedures in respect of irregularities that occur during the capturing,

processing, standardisation, release of the results and certification
processes

(a) The Head of Department or his or her representative may

immediately suspend an examination official from examination-

162
 related activities, or suspend an examination official who
contravenes any of these requirements, and the matter must then be
dealt with in terms of the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act
No. 76 of 1998) or in terms of the Public Service Act, or in terms of
any other relevant legislation.

(b) All irregularities relating to the above processes must be reported

immediately to the PEIC and to the Head of Examinations.

(c) Confidentiality and security of information must be enforced. Any

breach in this regard must be considered an examination
irregularity.

(7) Procedures in respect of investigations

The following procedure must be followed in respect of an investigation:

(a) A minimum of two members of the PEIC or two departmental

officials, delegated by the PEIC, must be involved in all
investigations.

(b) The PEIC may call upon any official in the service of the relevant
provincial education department, or any candidate or candidates to
appear before the Committee or the two-person team delegated to
carry out the function, and it may also question any candidate
accused of an alleged irregularity.

(c) The PEIC or the delegated officials may also call upon any person,
not in the immediate employ of the relevant provincial education
department, but who falls under its jurisdiction, to appear before
the PEIC or the two-person team delegated to carry out this

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 function, and it may also question any such person during the
normal course of an investigation.

(d) The PEIC and the delegated officials have access to any room or
place at any school registered with the relevant provincial
education department as an examination centre, and may scrutinise
or take possession of any document, article or any other evidence
which, in the opinion of the PEIC, may facilitate the investigation.

(e) In cases of serious misconduct, the relevant provincial education

department should reserve the right to report such cases to the
relevant state security agents with a view to a criminal
investigation.

(f) All investigations undertaken by the PEIC or by the delegated

officials, regardless at what level, must be clearly documented or
minuted, should it take the form of a meeting.

(g) The findings of an investigation must be submitted to a full sitting

of the PEIC, which must then take a decision as to whether a
hearing must take place or not.

(h) No member of the PEIC may be involved in, or allowed access to,
any examination irregularity investigation or hearing or
documentation involving a relative or any other person in respect
of whom the said investigator cannot be impartial.

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(8) Procedures in respect of hearings

Should the relevant irregularity committee decide that a hearing must be

held, such hearing must be held in terms of the following procedure:

(a) The hearings must be lawful, reasonable, timely and procedurally

fair, and no rights of the individual should be infringed. The
principle of openness and transparency of administrative action
must be adhered to.

(b) The following procedure must be followed in respect of hearings:

(i) Procedures for hearings vary according to circumstances

and persons involved.

(ii) A written notification must be submitted to the candidate

involved in the alleged examination irregularity, or to the
parent or guardian in the event of candidates being under
the age of 18, as well to the Principal or centre manager of
the institution. The following procedure must be followed:

(aa) The written notification must be forwarded either

by registered mail or be delivered to a particular
individual who must acknowledge receipt of the
notification.
(bb) The written notification must state clearly that the
absence of a reply will not delay the hearing in
respect of the suspected examination irregularity.
(cc) Where a candidate, who is alleged to have
committed an examination irregularity, or his or her
parent or guardian or representative cannot be

165
 contacted, the principal or centre manager of the
institution will be required to assist with contacting
the candidate. If the Principal or centre manager of
the institution is unable to contact the candidate, he
or she must accordingly inform the secretary of the
PEIC in writing. The inability to make contact with
the candidate concerned, or with his or her parent or
guardian or representative, should not unnecessarily
delay the processing of the irregularity.
(dd) All candidates suspected of an examination
irregularity must be allowed the opportunity to
respond to the invitation to attend a hearing
regarding the alleged irregularity, within 10
working days of being notified of an irregularity
investigation.
(ee) Candidates who do not wish to attend a hearing,
have the option of making an admission of guilt in
the form of a declaration, which must be forwarded
to the secretary of the PEIC within 10 working days
of being notified of an irregularity investigation.
(ff) In the event where a candidate is under 18 years of
age, the candidate may be accompanied by his or
her parent or guardian, the school principal, or any
other representative.
(gg) Should the candidate or his or her parent or
guardian choose to make use of legal representation
during the hearing, this will be allowed and the
chairperson of the PEIC must be so informed at
least three (3) working days prior to the scheduled
hearing.

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 (iii) All hearings must be recorded and the recording must be
kept until the matter has been finalised.

(iv) The findings of a hearing must be submitted to a full sitting

of the PEIC, by the persons involved in the hearing process.

(v) Decisions and consequent recommendations by the PEIC,

as approved by the Head of Department or his or her
representative, must be communicated, in writing, to the
person, school or learning institution under investigation,
within 30 working days of the completion of the hearing.

(9) Sanctions

(a) The relevant Irregularities Committee may impose the sanctions

contemplated in these regulations.

(b) Mandatory minimum periods of sanction may be imposed by the

PEIC or the NEIC, upon finding the offender guilty of an
irregularity. The reason for the stipulation of mandatory minimum
periods of sanction is primarily to ensure that irregularities are
handled in a uniform manner across all provincial departments of
education. Secondly, it is to combat and reduce the frequency of
irregularities.

(c) There may be cases where the PEIC or the NEIC is of the opinion
that, considering the specific circumstances of the case, the
imposition of one of the minimum periods of sanction would be
very harsh and unjust. The Committee may, however, be freed
from the obligation of imposing the minimum period of sanction
should there be “substantial and compelling circumstances”, which

167
 justify the imposition of a lesser punishment than the prescribed
one.

(10). Irregularities involving candidates:

No. Irregularity ACTION TO BE TAKEN OR APPLICABLE

SANCTIONS
(a) Failure to • The candidate must be allowed to write the
produce examination, but must produce the identification
identification document within 24 hours or, alternatively,
documents provide an affidavit.
• Should the candidate fail to produce the
identification document or the affidavit within 24
hours, he or she will not be allowed to continue
with the next examination session.
(b) Incorrect • The assessment body must use all available means
examination to establish the correct examination number and
number or no this number must then be verified with the school
examination or the candidate concerned.
number
(c) Late arrival at • A candidate must not be admitted to the
the examination room should he or she arrive after the
examination first hour of the commencement of the
centre examination.
• A candidate who arrives within the first hour of
the commencement of the examination must be
allowed into the examination room, but will not be
allowed any additional writing time.

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(d) Examination • After all possible steps to locate the examination
answer script answer script have been exhausted, a report in this
missing or lost regard must be submitted to Umalusi. Based on
by the the report, Umalusi will officially declare the
assessment examination answer scripts missing and request
body the assessment body to determine a calculated
mark in accordance with Umalusi guidelines. The
final calculated marks must be submitted to
Umalusi for approval
(e) Candidate • The candidate’s results for that examination
found in question paper is declared null and void
possession of • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
unauthorised one and a maximum of three subsequent
material during examinations, excluding the supplementary
the examinations.
examination • If the unauthorised material is not related to the
subject being written, the candidate is issued with
a written warning, which will be taken into
consideration should he or she be found guilty of a
future offence.

(f) Candidates • The candidate’s result for that examination

found in question paper is declared null and void.
possession of • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
an one and a maximum of three subsequent
unauthorised examinations, excluding the supplementary
electronic examinations.
device during
the
examination

169
(g) Candidate • The results of the candidate caught copying may
caught copying be declared null and void for that examination
or obtaining question paper.
help from a • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
fellow- one and a maximum of three subsequent
candidate examinations, excluding the supplementary
examinations.
• If there is evidence of collusion, the candidate
offering the assistance must also be sanctioned as
indicated above.
(h) Candidate • As in (e)
assisting
another
candidate
during the
examination
session.
(i) Presentation of • The candidate’s result for that examination
fraudulent question paper must be declared null and void.
identification • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
or an imposter one and a maximum of three subsequent
examinations, excluding the supplementary
examinations.
• In addition, this matter must be reported to the
SAPS.

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(j) Assistance to a • In the event of the candidate being found guilty,
candidate, the results for that examination question paper
provided by an may be declared null and void.
invigilator, a • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
teacher or one and a maximum of three subsequent
principal, or examinations, excluding the supplementary
any other examinations.
official • In the case of the invigilator, teacher or principal,
it must be regarded as an act of misconduct. The
official must be suspended immediately from all
examination-related work, and be dealt with in
terms of the relevant legislation.
• This must also be reported to SAPS.
(k) Handwriting of • As in (e)
a different
person on the
examination
answer script
(l) Two • If the act was unintentional, the examination
examination numbers must be corrected and the results of the
answer scripts candidates concerned must be released.
with the same • If the action was intentional or deliberate, the
examination results of the guilty candidates must be declared
number null and void for that examination question paper.
• The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
one and a maximum of three subsequent
examinations, excluding the supplementary
examinations.

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(m) Crib notes • As in (e)
discovered in
examination
answer scripts
at the marking
centre
(n) An • The examination answer script must be marked as
examination normal, pending the outcome of the investigation.
answer • In the event where the candidate is found guilty,
removed from the results for the examination question paper
the concerned must be declared null and void.
examination • The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
room and one and a maximum of three subsequent
submitted at a examinations, excluding the supplementary
later stage examinations.
(o) Submission of • The person who submits work that is not his or her
work that is not own, may have his or her results for that
candidate’s examination question paper declared null and
own work. void.
• The candidate may be barred from a minimum of
one and a maximum of three subsequent
examinations, excluding the supplementary
examinations.
• If there is evidence of collusion, the candidate
offering the assistance must also be sanctioned as
indicated above.

172
(p) Leaked/stolen • This must be regarded as a criminal case and be
examination referred to the SAPS.
question paper • In the event where it can be proven that specific
candidates have stolen an examination question
paper prior to it being written, the guilty
candidates must be barred from writing the
examination for a period of (3) to five (5) years,
from the date of the offence.
• The results obtained for the subject should be
declared null and void.
(q) Bribery or • This must be regarded as a criminal case and be
attempted referred to the SAPS.
bribery • In the event where the candidate is found guilty,
the candidate must be barred from writing the
examination for a period of three (3) to five (5)
years, from the date of the offence.
• In the event where a teacher or a departmental
official is involved, this must be regarded as an act
of misconduct and must be dealt with in terms of
the relevant legislation.

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(r) Creating a • The candidate must be warned and, if he or she
disturbance, persists with the behaviour or action, the candidate
intimidation must be removed from the examination centre.
and • The candidate then forfeits the opportunity to
drunkenness, write or to continue writing that specific
disregarding examination question paper.
the • Where the candidate has commenced with the
arrangements examination, the marks attained will be declared
and/or the null and void.
reasonable • The candidate retains the marks awarded for the
instructions of other components in the subject, and the results
the invigilator are released as such.
• Criminal charges may be instituted.
(s) Resulting of a • Where a candidate is irregular in any component
candidate who of the subject, the result for the subject will be
is irregular in declared null and void and the candidate must
an eight and redo the entire subject. The candidate will receive
ninth subject: the subject results for the subjects where there is
no irregularity and will not receive the overall
result until the period of the sanction has expired
and the candidate satisfies the minimum
requirements for the National Senior Certificate.
• Where a candidate is irregular in the eight or ninth
subject, the candidate will receive the subject
results in the subject/s where there is no
irregularity. The candidate will not receive the
overall result relating to the qualification.

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(11) Appeals

(a) Should the candidate or his or her parent or guardian be

dissatisfied with the way the hearing has been conducted, an
appeal may be lodged to the Head of Department via the channels
provided by the relevant provincial education department.

(b) A candidate may appeal to the MEC against the decision of the
Head of Department within 14 working days of receipt of the
written pronouncement of the judgement or sanction, if the
candidate was present at the hearing.

(c) All appeals must be in writing and must include reasons in support
of the appeal.

(12) Reporting of irregularities

Reporting of examination irregularities is categorised into two

components. The first component relates to reporting of the irregularity
from the venue of identification, to the relevant officials at the assessment
body, and the second component relates to the reporting of the irregularity
to the external role-players, by the Head of the assessment body.

(13) Internal reporting

All alleged irregularities must be reported immediately to the next level of

responsibility in the assessment process, which, in turn, must report it to
the Chairperson of the PEIC and the Head of Examinations, or the
independent assessment body. This reporting may be done verbally, but
must be followed with a written report within 12 hours.

175
(14) External reporting

(a) All assessment bodies must report all examination irregularities to

Umalusi, the Director-General and the Head of independent
assessment body within 48 hours of the identification of such
irregularities. This may be done telephonically, but it must be
followed with a written report within 48 hours.

(b) The Director-General, the Head of independent assessment body

and Umalusi will provide the format of the report. Reporting the
irregularity can differ, depending on the nature of the irregularity.

176
 ANNEXURE N

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM

1. Browse information on files: Must enable the user to browse through information
available on all data files, e.g. look through the names of candidates registered at
a specific centre, in order to find a candidate's ID number.

2. Entries: Candidates’ entries are registered per examination by means of

electronic/magnetic media, or directly within the on-line environment. Full
candidate validation takes place in accordance with the rules and regulations, as
set out by the Department of Basic Education.

3. Mark sheets: The generation of mark sheets, as well as the capturing and
controlling of mark sheets. The mark sheets are furthermore printed with bar
codes for controlling the flow of mark sheets at strategic points.

4. Examination results: All results are processed by computer programme, in

accordance with the rules and regulations, as set out by the Department of Basic
Education.

5. Standardisation of marks: A process used to adjust the marks, using qualitative

and quantitative data and reports.

6. Subject information: All subject and examination question paper information is

carried forward from the previous examination and, where required, changes are
made. Subject information has a direct influence on the validation of candidates’
entries, candidates’ promotion, as well as on conversion, examination packing
procedures, timetables, letters of admission, etc.

177
7. Irregularities: Candidates found guilty of irregularities are suspended individually
or per examination centre. This sub-system controls the correspondence with
regard to, and investigations into these irregularities.

8. Region, area, circuit or examination centres: All examination centres are

registered and allocated to a circuit, area and region, as well as according to their
respective provinces.

9. Candidates’ documentation history: The names of candidates, who enter on a

continuous basis and apply for certification, are processed along with their
historical information for possible certification.

10. Document issuing and issues: Control and enquiries with regard to all documents
issued by the Department of Basic Education via the computer system.

11. Preliminary number of candidate entries: It is an optional system that can be used
by management to gauge the number of candidate entries per school, with a view
to planning, budgeting and stationery requirements.

12. Recovery of funds: Control of funds received from examination centres for
examination fees paid.

13. Re-marking and checking: When a candidate applies for re-marking or re-
checking, his certificate is suspended and re-marking or re-checking takes place.

14. Supplementary examinations: Automatic registration of candidates that qualify

for supplementary examinations.

15. Stationery and examination aids: Checking of codes and descriptions used by
candidates during examinations.

178
16. Examination question paper stock maintenance: Used to monitor the reproduction
of examination papers and to pinpoint shortages.

17. Packaging of stationery/examination question papers: Reports are generated to

assist with the packaging and distribution of examination question papers, as well
as with examination stationery supplied by the Department.

18. Statistics: All statistics pertaining to pass and failing rates, entry irregularities,
etc., can be extracted per province, per region, or at a national level, and made
available for the purpose of media releases, or for use by subject advisors,
planners and management.

19. Timetable: Dates, times and the duration of each examination question paper are
maintained for candidate admission letters, payment of examiners, etc.

20. System parameter and system index maintenance indexes: Standard names used,
etc., are maintained by the systems administrator.

21. Word processor: Editing of letters pertaining to irregularities, examination

results, candidate entries, etc.

22. Examination marking claims: Control and payment of examiners for bulk marking
sessions by means of a cheque or direct payment.

23. Hand claims: Indirect payment of examiners’ claims and expenses incurred by
means of a cheque or direct payment.

24. SANMED functions: Updating of sectors and magisterial codes per examination
centre for statistical purposes, for use by the Department of Basic Education.

179
25. Invigilators' claims: Payment of invigilators’ claims and expenses incurred by
means of a cheque or direct payment.

26. Examination question papers (setting of papers): Checking the setting of

examination question papers and the correspondence between the department,
examiners and moderators.

27. Examination officials: Appointment and checking of all examination officials'

personal information.

28. Job control and general functions: Control of batch processes, bulk printing, task
scheduling, etc.

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 ANNEXURE O
EXAMINATION BOARDS

1. NATIONAL EXAMINATION BOARD

(1) Objective of the National Examination Board (NEB)

The National Examination Board (NEB) will advise the Minister of Basic
Education on all matters relating to public examinations and assessment,
based on the consolidated inputs from the nine provincial examination
boards. The NEB does not replace the Provincial Examinations Board
(PEB) but will work in collaboration with the PEBs.

(2) Functions of the National Examination Board

In order to ensure the credibility and integrity of the Public examination

system, the NEB will perform the following functions:

(a) Advise the Minister on policy and related matters on national

examinations and assessment.
(b) Address all matters of public concern relating to examinations
conducted for schools, FET Colleges and Adult Education.
(c) Advise the Minister on mechanisms that need to be adopted to
improve public confidence in the examination system.
(d) Advise the Minister on matters that have international implications
on the examination system.
(e) Deal with all examinations and assessment matters referred to it by
the Minister.

181
 (f) Consolidate the inputs from the Provincial and Independent
Examination Boards, so as to regularly brief the Minister on the
issues that relate to examinations across the country.

(3) Composition of the Committee

(a) The Board will comprise the following persons:

(i) Chairperson of the National Examination Board appointed

by the Minister.
(ii) One representative from each of the Provincial
Examination Boards (9), which will be the chairperson of
the PEB.
(iii) One (1) representative from each of the independent
assessment bodies.
(iv) Two (2) representatives from the Department of Basic
Education appointed by the Minister.
(v) One (1) representative from the Higher Education South
Africa (HESA).
(vi) One (1) representative from the South African
Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
(vii) One (1) representative from Umalusi.
(viii) One (1) representative from each of the recognised teacher
unions.
(ix) One (1) representative from the South African College
Principal’s Organisation (SACPO).
(x) One (1) representative from the ABET Advisory Board.

(b) The Chief Directorate National Examination, Assessment and

Educational Measurement will serve as the secretariat to the NEB.

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 (c) The Minister may appoint additional members, as and when the
need arises.

(d) All members of the board together with the chairperson will be
appointed by the Minister, based on nominations received from the
respective organisations/institutions. The call for nominations will
be published in a Government Gazette.

(4) Term of office

The term of office for membership shall be three years or of such a term as
shall be determined by the Minister. In the event of a serving member
being replaced for whatever reason, the newly appointed member shall
serve on the Board for the remaining period that the previous member
would have served on the Board. Members of the Examinations Board,
will be bound by an obligation of confidentiality and a member may be
reappointed when his or her term of office expires.

(5) Chairperson

The Minister will appoint the chairperson of the National Examination

Board. The chairperson may be appointed from the list of ordinary
members appointed to the Board, or may be appointed by the Minister
from outside the current list of nominations. If the Minister appoints the
chairperson from the list of members, the organisation or institution from
which the chairperson has been appointed, will be entitled to nominate
another representative, in lieu, of the appointed chairperson.

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(6) Termination of membership

(a) If members are unable to attend a meeting, a written apology must

be sent to the secretary of the meeting prior to the scheduled
meeting.

(b) In the event of a member being absent from two consecutive

meetings of the NEB without an apology or an acceptable reason,
his or her membership must forthwith be terminated and the
member must be advised accordingly.

(c) The Minister may terminate the membership of a member of the

NEB if he or she acts wilfully in contradiction to the spirit and
objectives of the NEB.

(d) All resignations must be submitted in writing to the Minister.

7. Vacancies on the Board.

If a vacancy arises on the NEB the Minister will fill such a vacancy on the
basis of nominations received for the specific category, in which the
vacancy exists.

8. Meetings

(a) The National Examinations Board must meet as the need arises,
but must hold a minimum of two ordinary meetings annually.

(b) There shall be one (1) meeting preceding the end of the year
examination to determine the state of readiness to conduct such an

184
 examination. There shall also be another meeting after the end of
the year examination to discuss the examination results.

(c) The Chairperson of the Board has the power to call meetings of
either the full board or selected members of the Board, as he or she
deems necessary.

9. Quorum for a meeting

(a) A minimum of 51% of the membership constitutes the quorum.

(b) The quorum is also applicable with respect to ad hoc committees

and working groups.

(c) If a quorum of the NEB is not present, the chairperson may re-
convene the meeting within 14 days.

10. Procedure for a meeting

(a) Conventional procedures for a meeting must apply to meetings of

the National Examinations Board, its ad hoc committees and
working groups.

(b) The Secretary of the NEB must give notice 14 days prior to the
meeting and keep a record of the names of members attending the
meeting.

(c) Ordinary meeting agenda items must be requested by the secretary

in writing 30 days before a meeting and received within ten days
thereafter, except for urgent matters which may be included on the

185
 agenda at a meeting, provided that no member registers an
objection.

(d) For special meetings, notice of seven days is required, specifying

the agenda for the Examinations Board meeting, which must be the
sole agenda item for the meeting.

(e) No decision of the NEB may be changed or recalled except by a

two-thirds majority of members present.

(f) In instances where members cannot attend a meeting, comments

and views on issues to be deliberated must be made known in
advance and in writing to the secretary. Written apologies for
absence must reach the secretary at least one week before a
meeting is scheduled to enable him or her to decide on a possible
postponement of the meeting.

(g) The secretary must circulate copies of minutes and other

documentation as may be applicable to each member within one
month after every Board meeting.

(h) The secretary must furnish all minutes, correspondence or other

documents relating to the activities or functioning of the NEB to
the archives of the Chief Directorate; National Examinations,
Assessment and Measurement, for safe record keeping.

(11) Allowances and remuneration for members of the NEB

The Department of Basic Education may reimburse NEB members who

are not employed by government for legitimate subsistence and travel
expenses in accordance with government tariff guidelines.

186
2. THE PROVINCIAL EXAMINATION BOARD

(1) Composition of the Provincial Examination Board

(a) The PEB will comprise the following persons:

(i) Chairperson of the Provincial Examination Board

appointed by the MEC for Education in the province.
(ii) One (1) representative from the association of school
principals in the province.
(iii) One (1) representative from the FET College Principals.
(iv) One (1) representative from the ABET sector in the
province.
(v) One (1) representative from each of the recognised teacher
unions.
(vi) One representative from each of the recognised School
Governing Body associations in the province.
(vii) One (1) representative from each of the higher education
institutions in the province.
(viii) One (1) representative from Umalusi.
(ix) One (1) representative from the independent schools.
(x) One (1) representative from the distance education
colleges.
(xi) Two (2) representatives from the Provincial Education
Department.

(b) The Directorate responsible for examination and assessment in the

province will serve as the secretariat to the PEB.

187
 (c) All members of the PEB, together with the chairperson will be
appointed by the MEC, based on nominations received from the
respective organisations/institutions. The call for nominations will
be published in a Government Gazette.

(d) The MEC for Education may appoint additional members to the
Board as he or she deems fit.

(2) Functions of the Provincial Examination Board

In order to ensure that the credibility and integrity of the Public

examination system is enhanced within the province, the PEB will
perform the following functions:

(a) Advise the MEC on policy and related matters on examinations

and assessment, as it relates to the province.

(b) Address all matters of public concern relating to examinations

conducted for schools, FET Colleges and Adult Education.

(c) Advise the MEC on mechanisms that need to be adopted to

improve public confidence in the provincial examination system.

(d) Deal with all examinations and assessment matters referred to it by

the MEC.

(e) Report to the NEB on matters that are of provincial concern

relating to the integrity and credibility of the public examinations.

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(3) Term of office

The term of office for membership shall be three years or of such a term as
shall be determined by the MEC for Education. In the event of a serving
member being replaced for whatever reason, the newly appointed member
shall serve on the Board for the remaining period that the previous
member would have served on the board. Members of the PEB, will be
bound by an obligation of confidentiality and a member may be
reappointed when his or her term of office expires.

(4) Chairperson

The MEC will appoint the chairperson of the Provincial Examination

Board. The chairperson may be appointed from the list of ordinary
members appointed to the Board, or may be appointed by the MEC from
outside the current list of nominations. If the MEC appoints the
chairperson from the list of members, the organisation or institution from
which the chairperson is appointed, will be entitled to nominate another
representative, in lieu, of the appointed chairperson.

(5) Termination of membership

(a) If members are unable to attend a meeting, a written apology must

be sent to the secretary of the meeting prior to the scheduled
meeting.

(b) In the event of a member being absent from two consecutive

meetings of the PEB without an apology or an acceptable reason,
his or her membership must forthwith be terminated and the
member must be advised accordingly.

189
 (c) The MEC may terminate the membership of a member of the PEB
if he or she acts wilfully in contradiction to the spirit and
objectives of the PEB.

(d) All resignations must be submitted in writing to the MEC.

(6) Vacancies on the Board.

If a vacancy arises on the PEB the MEC will fill such a vacancy on the
basis of nominations received for the specific category, in which the
vacancy exists.

(7) Meetings

(a) The PEB Board should meet as the need arises, but must hold a
minimum of two ordinary meetings annually.

(b) There shall be one (1) meeting preceding the end of the year
examination to determine the state of readiness to conduct such an
examination. There shall also be another meeting after the end of
the year examination to discuss the examination results.

(c) The Chairperson of the Board has the power to call meetings of
either the full Board or selected members of the Board, as he or she
deems necessary.

(8) Quorum for a meeting

(a) A minimum of 51% of the membership constitutes the quorum.

190
 (b) The quorum is also applicable with respect to ad hoc committees
and working groups.

(c) If a quorum of the PEB is not present, the chairperson may re-
convene the meeting within 14 days.

(9) Procedure for a meeting

(a) Conventional procedures for a meeting must apply to meetings of

the PEB, its ad hoc committees and working groups.

(b) The Secretary of the PEB must give notice 14 days prior to the
meeting and keep a record of the names of members attending the
meeting.

(c) Ordinary meeting agenda items must be requested by the Secretary

in writing 30 days before a meeting and received within ten days
thereafter, except for urgent matters which may be included on the
agenda at the meeting, provided that no member registers an
objection.

(d) For special meetings, notice of seven days is required, specifying

the agenda for the PEB meeting, which must be the sole agenda
item for the meeting.

(e) No decision of the PEB may be changed or recalled except by a

two-thirds majority of members present.

(f) In instances where members cannot attend a meeting, comments

and views on issues to be deliberated must be made known in
advance and in writing to the secretary. Written apologies for

191
 absence must reach the secretary at least one week before a
meeting is scheduled to enable him or her to decide on a possible
postponement of the meeting.

(g) The secretary must circulate copies of minutes and other

documentation as may be applicable to each member within one
month after every Board meeting.

(h) The secretary must furnish all minutes, correspondence or other

documents relating to the activities or functioning of the PEB to
the archives of the Directorate responsible for examinations and
assessment for record keeping.

(10) Allowances and remuneration for members and working groups

The PED may reimburse PEB members who are not employed by
government for legitimate subsistence and travel expenses in accordance
with government tariff guidelines.

192