1. To ensure that learners are engaged constructively, it is the responsibility of every school to plan its school programme for the period of the end-of-year examinations, as well as for the period thereafter ending on the last school day for learners on 11 December 2009. It is, therefore, important that all schools adhere to the following:
1.1 Schools must plan each of their internal examinations so that the learners involved finish at 13:00 at the earliest. The school day, during the end-of-year examinations, must not end earlier than 13:00 for learners.
1.2 Grade 9 learners involved in writing the national CTAs must be involved in continued instructional support, review and reflection after the last of the national assessment tasks on 30 November 2009. It is also expected of Grade 9 learners to remain at school until 13:00 on the days when the writing of CTAs ends at 11:00.
1.3 Schools must ensure that all learners attend school on all days, even if they are not writing examinations or CTAs.
2. Schools offering Grades 10 and 11 must arrange their examinations timetables so that their examinations begin no earlier than Thursday, 12 November 2009. Schools that offer subjects with practical components may begin their practical examinations on Monday, 9 November.
3. It is expected of teachers to be at school for the full school day during this period, irrespective of whether or not they have invigilation duties. Teachers involved in the marking of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations may not report for marking before all their end-of-year internal marking and administrative duties have been completed at school. The WCED's Directorate: Examinations Administration will inform principals soon of the commencement dates for NSC marking. Note that not all NSC marking begins at the same time. The marking of papers with many candidates starts earlier than papers with fewer candidates.
4. Learner profiles and portfolios must be available for moderation and progression on the dates stipulated by the districts.
5. All schools are requested to submit their examinations timetables to their circuit team managers by 7 November 2009.
6. When all schools release their learners at 13:00, the learner transport arrangements should not be affected.


SIGNED: LJ ROSE
ACTING HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2009:10:16