1. You are referred to Examination Minute 0014/2006 dated 26 April 2006 in this regard. This year the tests will be held on the following dates:
1.1 Mathematics test: Wednesday, 14 June 2006 from 9:40 to 11:00
The test questions will be in both English and Afrikaans.
1.2 Language test: Monday, 19 June 2006 from 9:40 to 11:00
The test questions will be in either English or Afrikaans. In addition, a question paper for Xhosa mother tongue speakers will be introduced this year. The paper will consist of questions in Xhosa (50%) and questions in English (50%).
2. Skynet Couriers will deliver the boxes of test books in two consignments to schools. The Mathematics test books for the test on 14 June 2006 will be delivered to schools between 1 and 5 June 2006. The Language test books for the test on 19 June 2006 will be delivered to schools between 6 and 8 June 2006. The boxes will consist of the test books (each book containing both the test questions and space for writing the answers), administration instructions, bar-coded attendance register forms, bar-coded stickers, a checklist, elastic bands and grey plastic bags in which to return the test books. After receipt of the boxes of test books, kindly complete the checklist and then fax it to 021 461 5637 or 021 461 5628. (For any enquiries pertaining to test books and test documents, please telephone Mr C. Berry at 021 461 2265.)
3. Principals must ensure that they receive the correct number of boxes and sign on the delivery note for the receipt of these boxes. The boxes must be stored in the school’s strongroom and the principal is responsible for the safe-keeping of the keys. Please note that, under no circumstances may test books be opened or the questions discussed with learners or the test books removed from the school before the test is administered.
4. The tests must be answered only in the test books provided. All learners must be seated one hour prior to the commencement of the test. This time must be used to complete the registration by pasting each learner's bar-coded sticker, with its unique number, onto the learner’s test book.
5. These tests must be written under formal examination conditions, and the rules pertaining to the conducting of the Senior Certificate Examination must be applied, but without the appointment of external invigilators.
6. The teacher invigilating the test must ensure that the following procedure is adhered to on the morning of the test.
9:00 to 9:40:

Conducting of preparation for the test
The teacher invigilating the test must ensure:
  • that the test books (each containing the test questions and space for writing the answers) are handed out to the learners.

  • that each learner paste his or her correct bar-coded sticker with its unique number onto the test book.

  • learners are allowed to begin reading through the test questions 15 minutes before the commencement of the test.

9:40 to 11:00:

Writing of the test
After the test:

The learners must stop writing at 11:00 and the test books must be taken in immediately.

The invigilating teacher must
  • check that the number of test books taken in corresponds with number of learners who wrote the test;

  • check that each learner’s bar-coded sticker with its unique number is pasted onto his or her test book; and

  • verify that the learners’ test books are arranged in the same alphabetical order as the names on the bar-coded attendance register forms and that these registration forms are returned with the test books.

Please note that the test books will be electronically scanned and so great care must be taken with the above procedure.

7. The following procedures must be followed for the return of the test books:
7.1 the encoded test books should be arranged alphabetically, according to the alphabetical learner registration forms compiled for each school.
7.2 The test books must then be divided into batches of a maximum of fifty (50) test books, with the bar-coded attendance register placed on top of each batch. Each batch must be placed in one of the grey plastic bags provided and returned to the Directorate: Examinations, marked “For attention: Mr E. van Breda”.
7.3 The courier is scheduled to collect the parcels of test books within two days of the completion of the last test. Should parcels for the two tests not be collected by Wednesday, 21 June 2006, the Directorate must be informed immediately by telephoning: 021 467 2960/1
8. Kindly note that intensive monitoring of the administering of these tests will take place. This will include unannounced visits to the schools by officials of the national department, circuit managers and members of the Directorate: Curriculum Development to ensure that all procedures are being followed.
9. Please note that these tests do not form part of the progression mark for Grade 8 learners, and that these learners are not expected to learn specific content for the tests as skills and the understanding of concepts at a level appropriate to Grade 8 are to be tested.
10. Teachers will not be required to mark their learners’ answers. The test books will be forwarded to the HSRC who will do the marking and the compiling of results. Each school will be sent its own results, together with a detailed analysis of how the school has performed. Each learner will receive a certificate and so it is essential that you make sure, during registration, that spelling, names and test levels are correctly recorded.
11. Principals and teachers are requested to ensure that the tests are written on the scheduled dates at the times specified and that the bar-coded attendance registers are signed.


SIGNED: A.P. CLAUSEN
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2006:05:04