1. Paragraph 9 of An Interim Policy Framework for the Assessment and Promotion of Learners in Grade 9 (Government Gazette No. 25699, dated 7 November 2003) indicates that school-based continuous assessment (CASS) shall constitute 75% of the final result of Grade 9 learners) and that the common task for assessment (CTA) shall constitute 25% of the final result.
2. Schools are hereby informed that, in 2006, the CTA shall consist of a single section which equates largely resembles the original Section A of the CTA. The intention is that learners engage fully with the material and with the necessary resources. The CTA can, therefore, not be seen as “a final examination".
3. The CTAs are currently being moderated and will be sent to provincial education departments by the end of the second term for printing. Schools will, therefore, receive copies of the CTAs in the third term.
4. Schools must draw up their own timetables for the completion of the CTAs in the course of the fourth term. A copy of the timetable must be sent to the circuit manager for management purposes and to the chief curriculum adviser for purposes of monitoring and moderation.
5. Schools are reminded that there are 3 phases of moderation: 
First term:           Standard setting
Second & third terms: Development and support
Fourth term:          Final moderation
6. In order to ensure that teaching and learning in Grade 9 continues until the end of the term, schools may submit portfolios for final moderation with one task outstanding. However, details of the task to be completed must be included in the teacher’s portfolio, with an indication of the date on which the task will be completed. Curriculum advisers may moderate the final task and, where applicable, will make arrangements with schools to do so.
7. Principals are kindly requested to inform all teachers who teach Grade 9s of the contents of this minute.


SIGNED: T.C. SMIT
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2006:04:26

Government Gazette No. 25699  (size: 515 KB)