1. Delivery of Section B of the CTA
1.1 Section B of the CTA will be delivered as from 7 November 2008.
1.2 The Directorate: Examinations Administration will deliver Section B in two consignments:

Consignment 1
Learning Areas scheduled for 17 to 21 November 2008
Consignment 2
Learning Areas scheduled for 24 to 28 November 2008.
Home Languages
First Additional Languages
Life Orientation
Mathematics
Economic and Management Sciences
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Arts and Culture
Technology
2nd Additional language

1.3 With the distribution of the CTA: Section A, the WCED experienced enormous challenges with regard to learner registration numbers and the erroneous registration of the different language levels offered by learners. Principals must therefore again verify and update all learner registrations and language registrations.
1.4 CTA: Section B deliveries will be based on the number of learners that the school registered on CEMIS. Where the registration numbers on CEMIS are correct, but the WCED has delivered the incorrect number of copies, any shortages must be reported to Ms Louisa Booysen. Her contact details are as follows:

e-mail address: lbooysen@pgwc.gov.za

Phone number: 021 467 2953


2. Memorandums
2.1 The memorandums for all the Learning Areas will be provided on a password protected CD. Each Learning Area memorandum will have an individual password.
2.2 The service provider will deliver the CDs containing the memorandums to schools. The CDs will be in a sealed container, in an envelope in one of the boxes. The box with the CD will be clearly marked.
2.3 The password for each Learning Area will be made available after each examination has been concluded. Learning Area passwords will also be available on the Assessment web site: http://curriculum.pgwc.gov.za/site/21/page/view/.
2.4 In addition, district officials will e-mail the relevant passwords to all the relevant officials who are involved in this process.
2.5 Schools that experience challenges with e-mail or Internet connection can call the district assessment co-ordinators and IMG advisers to obtain the password.

3. Grade 9 Resulting programme
3.1 Due to the fact that the total mark of the CTA has changed, the Grade 9 result-capturing programme that schools downloaded from the CEMIS site must be updated. In all the previous years, the total mark for CTA Section A was 120 and Section B was 80. The 2008 programme was developed before the arrival of the final CTA copies. On receipt of the CTA it was realised that the total mark had been changed as follows:

Section A: 150
Section B: 100


3.2 Principals must ensure that a new download (from CEMIS) and import of already captured Grade 9 results are done after 10 November 2008. Instructions on how to import the results into the new master copy must be followed meticulously (refer to Addendum A). If Grade 9 co-ordinators experience any challenges in this regard they must contact their district assessment co-ordinator for support and guidance.
3.3 Teachers teaching IsiXhosa Second Additional Language must rework the CTA total marks of their learners to 150 and 100 for Section A and B respectively.

4. Managing the CTA
Managers are reminded that the CTA must be managed in accordance with the CTA Regulatory Framework as stipulated in Circular 0036 of 2008.

5. Adaptations for learners with special needs
5.1 The DoE will deliver CTAs in Braille and in enlarged font to identified WCED schools.
5.2 Principals must manage adaptations for learners with other barriers according to the instructions provided on the WCED Barriers to learning web site: http://curriculum.pgwc.gov.za/go/barriers/.
5.3 No changes may be made to the memorandums of any Learning Area. Evidence of adaptations made to ensure that a particular Learning Area memorandum is responsive to learners with barriers, must be marked in red and submitted to the following address:

Ms K Kitshoff
DCES Inclusive Education
Western Cape Education Department
Room 806
Grand Central Building
Cape Town, 8000


5.4 Memorandums for the adapted question papers will be filed as part of a process to build a data bank of examples of good practice for schools in the WCED.

6. Resources

Social Sciences maps

The Social Sciences maps will be used for both sections of the CTA. Schools are kindly requested to ensure that the maps are returned in good condition after completion of Section A and that they are kept in a safe place. They must be handed out again on 25 November for the administration of Section B of the Social Sciences.


7. Monitoring of the CTA

WCED officials will monitor the conduct, administration and management of the CTA. Attached to this assessment minute, as Addendum B, is an example of the monitoring instrument. This is provided for your information and is to be used as a checklist for your own internal monitoring processes.


8. Circulars and documents in relation to the Grade 9 processes

District managers and principals are kindly requested to ensure that the following circulars have been distributed and discussed with all staff members:
Circular 0049 - 2007  Schedules
Circular 0020 - 2008  CTA Section B Timetable
Circular 0024 - 2008  Capturing of Grade 9 results
Circular 0036 - 2008  CTA Regulatory Framework


9. Feedback
9.1 The WCED strives to improve the CTA process through continued feedback to the national Department of Education (DoE). We want to thank every teacher and manager who completed the feedback on the CTA in 2007 and thus enabled the WCED to submit a consolidated report on the CTA quality and process to the DoE in 2007.
9.2 We kindly request that schools again take the time to complete a feedback sheet for each Learning Area for the CTA of 2008. The feedback sheet accompanies this Assessment Minute as Addendum C. The completed sheets can be faxed to Heléne van Zyl at fax number 021 467 2620 or e-mailed to hevanzyl@pgwc.gov.za

10. We thank you for your co-operation and wish you all of the best for the fourth term of 2008.


SIGNED: J.H. HURTER
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2005:07:05

Addendum A: Instructions to download...  (size: 39 KB)
Addendum B: CTA Monitoring Instrument...  (size: 44 KB)
Addendum C: CTA Comments 2008  (size: 44 KB)