1. The closing date for entries for Senior Certificate examinations is 15 March of each year (refer to Circulars 167/2003 and 13/2004). This means that schools must finalise all grade changes before that date and that candidates cannot use the first term report or the second term examinations as a yardstick of their ability to cope with the work on a particular grade.
2. As this new deadline date was introduced in 2004, grade changes were accepted until 30 June 2004. The question papers for the 2004 Senior Certificate examination are now being printed according to schools' and centres' enrolment for each subject and grade and no further grade changes will therefore be accepted.
3. From 2005 no applications for grade changes will be considered after 15 March, with the exception of those submitted before 30 April (refer to Circular 13/2004 for the necessary application form) and to which a valid medical certificate is attached.
4. Heads of institutions may not approve any grade changes after 15 March - this is the responsibility of the committee appointed for this purpose by the Head of Education.
5. In order to avoid problems regarding grade changes, schools must ensure that their Grade 10 and 11 examinations are of the required standard.
6. Curriculum advisers at EMDCs are requested to ensure at schools and centres that Grade 11 examination papers of the required standard are set at both HG and SG levels, where applicable, and that even the smallest details are correct.


SIGNED: A.P. CLAUSEN
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2004:07:27