1. The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (UMALUSI) verified the Grade 12 CASS moderation process of 2003. Both UMALUSI verifiers and WCED officials were impressed with the portfolio system and the overall high standard of the assessment tasks. It was reported that portfolios had been well managed and well maintained.

2. In general both the provincial and national verification processes of 2003 indicate the advantages of the portfolio system for the teaching, learning and assessment processes. Teachers are empowered by providing them with the opportunity to share their learning experiences. They are also exposed to common norms and standards.

3. The recommendations made by UMALUSI will serve to inform the WCED’s moderation process in 2004. The following is a brief summary of the generic recommendations:

  • EMDCs should, in collaboration with the provincial FET CASS co-ordinator, put in place a moderation plan that involves consistent internal, cluster and provincial moderation.

  • Moderation in the initial stages (i.e. at school level) should be addressed. Support at this level is vital to ensure quality and it will also be an indication to learners that their interests are being looked after.

  • Moderation of teacher portfolios must take place in accordance with national and/or provincial policies. This is the primary responsibility of the EMDC Curriculum Adviser. However, heads of department, principals and teachers are encouraged to become involved at the cluster moderation sessions in order to promote common norms and standards.

  • Teachers must give learners and parents more formative feedback.

  • Curriculum planners must develop teachers’ capacity to mark, assess and comment on the language and the content of assessment tasks, in order to make learners aware of their errors.
4. The implementation of the CASS development plan for moderation in 2004 will be organised and managed by the EMDCs. In order to facilitate the moderation process of 2004, schools will be provided with dates of moderation meetings by no later than mid-February 2004. The moderation process will consist of three structured meetings during the course of the year and will unfold as follows:

  • Standard setting meeting

  • Support and development meeting

  • Final cluster/face moderation meeting
5. The verification process to ensure that moderation has been carried out efficiently and effectively will be conducted at the following two levels:

  • At provincial level by Head Office

  • At national level by UMALUSI
6. The challenge for 2004 as far as moderation and verification are concerned, is as follows:

  • To effect a significant shift from norm-referenced to criterion-referenced assessment

  • To ensure that learners' assessment tasks are accompanied by descriptive comments (formative feedback) in order to help them to improve the quality of their work

  • To provide moderation reports to all levels (i.e. schools, EMDCs and Head Office)

Your co-operation will be appreciated.


SIGNED: J.P. RAULT-SMITH
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2004:02:02