| 2. |
The procedure for the submission of school attendance statistics has been revised and principals are required to follow the procedures as set out below in future
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| 3. |
The Personnel Administration Measures (PAM) Chapter A paragraph 4 stipulates that the principal has to ensure that the school is managed satisfactorily and in compliance with applicable legislation, regulations and personnel administration measures as prescribed. The activities of educators include administrative duties and responsibilities such as maintaining the Attendance Register for Learners.
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| 4. |
In terms of Paragraph 4.2 (e)(i) of Chapter A of the PAM, principals are compelled to keep proper records for the school, which include attendance registers for learners. The school day must be arranged or divided in such a way as to provide educators with the opportunity to complete and keep a Daily Attendance Register for Learners (Annexure A) at the beginning of the school day.
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| 5. |
LEARNERS
| (i) |
A record of the daily attendance of boys and girls must be kept in separate pages of a register or a separate register book, for the daily attendance of learners (Annexure A - Daily Attendance Register for Learners).
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| (ii) |
These registers can, where practically possible, be kept electronically in the format as provided.
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| (iii) |
Schools who are already using an electronic attendance register may continue doing so if it is able to produce an equivalent physical register for inspection and audit purposes and can produce the data required to populate the Quarterly Attendance Return (Annexure B). Otherwise the documents provided with this circular must be used at the school.
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| (iv) |
Each class educator must, at the end of each week, submit the total daily attendance of boys and girls to the person assigned to the task of collating this information in the Summary Attendance Register for Learners (Annexure A1).
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| (v) |
The accompanying Summary of Attendance Registers for Learners (Annexure A1) must be completed from information obtained from the Daily Attendance Register for Learners (Annexure A) on a weekly basis until the end of the quarter.
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| (vi) |
The daily attendance of each grade must be kept in separate pages of a register (Annexure A1) or in a separate register book for the summary of attendance of learners.
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| (vii) |
The Summary of Attendance Register for Learners, (Annexure A1) should preferably be completed electronically, as it contains formulas to simplify the calculation of totals and averages of attendance of learners per grade.
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| 6. |
A Quarterly Attendance Return (Annexure B) must be completed from the information obtained from the Summary of Attendance Registers for Learners on the last day of each term.
- The Quarterly Attendance Return must be submitted via an online capture screen on CEMIS in the last week of every quarter, starting at the end of the first term 2008.
- The Quarterly Attendance Return must be verified and signed off by the principal before school closes for the term.
- Circuit managers would be able to monitor online the progress of schools signing off the attendance return in his or her circuit.
- Data from the Quarterly Attendance Return will be saved to a database and reports will be made available to management and schools.
- A signed printout of the completed online Quarterly Attendance Return (Annexure B) must be filed at the school for record purposes and as evidence that the return has been completed and submitted online.
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| 7. |
The copies of the aforementioned registers which accompany this circular can be duplicated by the school and bound to form register books.
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| 8. |
The fields on the Daily Attendance Registers for Learners and the Summary of Attendance Register for Learners have been formulated to assist schools with the completion of these registers. Please note that the grey shaded fields must not be typed into, as the formulas used in these fields automatically calculate data captured in the other fields. Circuit Managers must ensure that the principals understand which numbers are to be filled in on the Quarterly Attendance Return.
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| 9. |
The Learner Attendance Register creates verifiable data and grounds for the Head of Department to investigate learner absenteeism, to take appropriate action to remedy situations, to issue written notices and to institute legal proceedings, where necessary. It is also a mechanism for a school to account for each learner, which impacts on Norms and Standards, the allocation of educators, and it supports the Human Capital Development Strategy.
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| 10. |
These registers must therefore be available at all times for inspection and verification by WCED officials, who may visit schools from time to time to ensure that these registers and other records are being kept up to date.
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| 11. |
Kindly bring the content of this circular to the attention of all personnel and governing body members.
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SIGNED: TS LINGELA
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2008:03:20
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