1. The following logistical arrangements have been approved to ensure that the 2005 school year draws to a close in an orderly manner.
2. The National Minister of Education has announced that the 2005 Senior Certificate Examination results for all provinces will be made known on Thursday, 29 December 2005.
3. To ensure that the Western Cape Education Department has the results ready by that date, the marking of the examination scripts must commence on Thursday, 1 December 2005.
4. The fourth term ends on Friday, 2 December 2005 for learners and on Tuesday, 6 December 2005 for educators (Minute No: LS/28/2004).
5. As the last day of school attendance for all learners from Grades R to 11 is Friday, 2 December 2005, the internal end-of-the-year assessment must proceed as follows:
5.1 Grades R to 7

Grade R to 7 educators may finalise their documentation for Continuous Assessment (CASS) and their progression schedules in the last week of November 2005, as these learners are not required to write examinations.
5.2 Grade 8

Tests written internally as part of CASS in Grade 8 must be written between Thursday, 3 November 2005 and Tuesday, 22 November 2005.
5.3 Grade 9

The Common Tasks for Assessment (CTAs) should be done during normal school hours and be completed by Monday, 21 November 2005. (Minute No: CD/66/2005)
5.4 Grades 10 and 11

At secondary schools, examinations may be written over the course of a maximum of 14 days. The internal examinations for Grades 10 and 11 must be written between Thursday, 3 November 2005 and Tuesday, 22 November 2005. This is to ensure that the necessary procedures have been dealt with and that the documentation is ready in time for the moderation and progression to be completed by the EMDC multifunctional teams by Monday, 5 December 2005. All examination timetables must be submitted to the EMDC Director concerned for final approval.
6. Examination arrangements for Grade 12 learners
6.1 The Senior Certificate Examination commences on Monday, 10 October 2005 and ends on Wednesday, 23 November 2005. (Circular No. 0049/2005)
6.2 The last day of school attendance for Grade 12 learners before the commencement of the Senior Certificate Examination is Wednesday, 5 October 2005. It must be emphasised that candidates remain under the authority of the school until the examination ends on Wednesday, 23 November 2005.
6.3 Please note that the final date of the examinations may be extended if there are any problems during the examinations. The candidates will remain under the authority of the school until the extended final date.
7. CASS procedures
7.1 Learner profiles and portfolios must be available to the EMDC multifunctional teams for moderation and progression at the end of the school year.
7.2 Evidence of assessment and the recording thereof are the determining factors when decisions regarding learner progression are taken at the end of the school year.
7.3 All role-players must realise the importance of verified, updated and maintained profiles and portfolios, as these portray the learner's progress throughout the year.
7.4 All Grade 12 CASS marks must be moderated and sent to the EMDC by no later than Wednesday, 26 October 2005.
8. Learner safety at the end of the year
8.1 The safety of every learner is always of the utmost importance. Schools are requested to discuss safety measures as a priority with all personnel when the planning for the end of the year is done.
8.2 Parents of learners and members of the governing body must be notified in writing of the arrangements for the end of the year and the school's safety plans for learners.
8.3 Parents of learners must be notified in writing if any changes are made to arrangements and also if their children do not adhere to the agreed arrangements.
8.4 The roles, responsibilities, decisions, rules and possible consequences of not planning for learner safety must be explained to all educators, learners and other role-players.
8.5 Service providers of the community, e.g. traffic officials, the municipal police, school transport providers and taxi drivers, must be informed of the school’s plans for the end of the year so that they can be of assistance if necessary.
8.6 Guidelines must be provided for end-of-the-year functions and all the aspects of safety and responsibility must be brought to the attention of all learners.
8.7 All learners from Grades R to 11 are expected to attend school till the last school day for learners, which is Friday, 2 December 2005, as indicated on the school calendar.
8.8 It is the responsibility of each school to plan the school programme for the period after the examination until the last school day in such a way that the learners are involved constructively. It is suggested that this programme could include, amongst others, activities such as the following:

  • learner review and reflection on the exams

  • continued instructional support for learners who experience barriers to learning
  • the continuation of the school’s sport programme
  • the continuation of the arts and culture programme
  • a life skills programme e.g. career information, job shadowing, guest speakers, market day, personal empowerment sessions
  • a school enrichment programme e.g. a quiz for each grade, debates, fun and games, community service
  • field trips and other educational excursions


SIGNED: D.R. SHEPHERD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2005:09:22