1. Introduction

This circular serves as an amendment to Circular 0004/2008.

The policy, National Senior Certificate: A Qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), stipulates that candidates may change one or more subject(s) in Grade 10, while a subject may be changed in Grade 11 or 12 if the school deems it to be in the best interest of the learner.


2. Subject changes in Grades 10 and 11
2.1 From 2009 onward, schools will manage all subject changes in Grades 10 and 11.
2.2 The Regulations for the Conduct, Administration and Management of Assessment for the National Senior Certificate, Government Gazette 31337 of 29 August 2008, stipulate the following:
2.2.1 A learner may change a maximum of two subjects in Grade 10, subject to the approval of the principal of the school where the learner is registered.
2.2.2 A learner may change one subject in Grade 11, subject to the approval of the principal of the school where the learner is registered.
2.3 The school's assessment policy must clearly outline the process for any subject change that is implemented at school level.
2.4 The learner and the parent/guardian must be aware that the choice of certain subjects, depending on the subject groupings, may exclude the learner from pursuing tertiary education. Schools must therefore advise learners on their correct subject choices.
2.5 It must be noted that the National Senior Certificate (NSC) will only be awarded if a learner demonstrates competence in all the learning outcomes and assessment standards that would have been covered over a three-year period (Grade 10, 11 and 12.)
2.6 The closing date for subject changes in Grades 10 - 11 is 28 February of each year.

3. Subject changes in Grade 12
3.1 A learner may change ONLY one subject in Grade 12 and this will only be allowed in exceptional cases, in which case the following procedure is applicable:
3.1.1 The parent/guardian must apply for the change of subject in writing to the school principal.
3.1.2 The decision whether to effect the necessary subject change will be based on the learner's history, the performance of the learner in the old subject and the reason for the change.
3.1.3 The principal will consult with the learner, the parent/guardian, the subject teacher and the curriculum adviser of that subject, and consensus must be reached on whether it is in the best interest of the learner to change a subject.
3.1.4 After proper consultation and after an agreement has been reached, the learner, parent/guardian, class teacher and the principal must sign a memorandum of agreement (Addendum A), indicating that the subject change is being made in the best interest of the learner.
3.1.5 A letter from the school, supported by the letter from the parent and the memorandum of agreement, must be submitted to the circuit team manager or IMG adviser who will ensure that the application is correct, complete and is submitted to the WCED (Head Office) for the attention of the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment.
3.2 Requests for approval of a change of subject in Grade 12 must reach the education district office by 31 January of each year. The due date for the request to be submitted to the Chief Director: Examinations and Assessment by the education district office is 14 February.
3.3 It is the principal's responsibility to ensure that the correct learner registration is completed on CEMIS by 15 March of each year.

4. Principals are kindly requested to bring the contents of this circular to the attention of their staff, parents/guardians and learners.


SIGNED: J.P. RAULT-SMITH
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2008:11:27


Addendum A  (size: 37 KB)

The National Senior Certificate: a Qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)  (size: 586 KB)

Government Gazette 31337: Regulations pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of Assessment for the National Senior Certificate  (size: 2176 KB)