EXPIRY DATE: 31 MARCH 2011



1. In terms of national policy and the regulations applicable to the conducting of the National Senior Certificate examinations, it is of paramount importance that ALL examinations are conducted with integrity.

2. The National Senior Certificate Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology practical examinations pose a high risk in terms of the security of data. This is because the examination takes place on the same computers that are used during lessons and because files have to be copied from individual computers for the examiners. Ensuring the security of data is therefore crucially important if we are to ensure the integrity of these examinations.

3. This minute contains very specific instructions which MUST be followed by all invigilators and other staff involved in the management and conducting of the computer-based examinations. Principals and centre managers, who are the examination officers, must ensure that these instructions are adhered to at all times.

4. This minute must be read in conjunction with national Department of Basic Education Circular E25 of 2009 and the Regulations Pertaining to the Conducting, Administration and Management of Assessment for the National Senior Certificate, Annexure G (Government Gazette No. 31337 of 29 August 2008).

5. The following addenda are attached to this minute. Please ensure that you have read the instructions contained in the addenda and, where necessary, have completed the respective checklist:
5.1 ADDENDUM A: Minimum requirements for offering Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology
5.2 ADDENDUM B: Roles and responsibilities
5.3 ADDENDUM C: Checklists

6. All invigilators and teachers who are appointed to conduct the Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology practical examinations must attend the training sessions organised by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

7. Please note that the principal, the chief invigilator and the Computer Applications Technology and/or Information Technology teacher must be present in the examination room when the final CDs are written. They must also complete and sign the checklist (Addendum C).

8. A maximum of two examination sessions is allowed. The following are suggested schedules for the examination sittings:
8.1 ONE SITTING

  TIME ALLOCATED DURATION
Seated in computer laboratory   08:30
Log-on process and the renaming of examination folder 15 minutes 08:35 - 08:50
Reading time 10 minutes 08:50 - 09:00
Paper 1 (Practical) 3 hours 09:00 - 12:00
Finalise checking, collect folders, burn CDs 120 minutes (depends on number of candidates) 12:00 - 14:00
8.2 TWO SITTINGS

  TIME ALLOCATED FIRST SITTING SECOND SITTING
Seated in computer laboratory   07:30 13:00
Log-on process and the renaming of examination folder 15 minutes 07:35 - 07:50 13:05 - 13:20
Reading time 10 minutes 07:50 - 08:00 13:20 - 13:30
Paper 1 (Practical) 3 hours 08:00 - 11:00 13:30 - 16:30
Finalise checking, collect folders, burn CDs, clean computers, etc 120 minutes (depends on number of candidates) 11:00 - 13:00 16:30 - 18:30 (2nd sitting may start earlier)

N.B. where there are two sittings, candidates and their parents MUST be informed in writing of the arrangements.)

9. NETWORKS
9.1 PEER-TO-PEER networks do not provide the same level of security as server-based networks and are not permitted. Schools must dismantle them for the duration of the examination and use the computers in stand-alone mode.
9.2 Where SERVER-BASED networks prove to be unstable and/or the necessary security cannot be guaranteed, they must be dismantled and the computers used in stand-alone mode.

10. On some networks it is possible for a log to be kept of who has accessed which folders. If your network has this facility, it must be activated during the examination and then retained after the completion of the examination, in case queries concerning irregularities arise. This log file must be copied to the CD, along with the candidates' folders.

11. The Speed Endorsement Test will be marked electronically in 2010 and schools must write the candidates' data files for the Speed Endorsement Test in a separate folder on the CD on which the Computer Applications Technology's practical data files are written.

12. Officials of the WCED will visit examination venues before the doing of the examination to ensure that all networks and stand-alone workstations have been properly set up and that all instructions contained in this minute have been adhered to.

13. If a power failure occurs during the examination, the following procedure must be followed:
13.1 The centre manager must immediately inform the local authorities and also ascertain from them, if possible, how long the power failure is likely to last.
13.2 The WCED must be immediately informed of the power failure.
13.3 Candidates must remain in the computer room until the power supply is restored. Candidates may not communicate with one another while waiting for the power supply to be restored. The time lost during the power failure must be allowed as additional examination time.
13.4 If, after two hours, the power supply has not been restored, the examination must be re-scheduled in consultation with the WCED's Directorate: Examination Administration.
13.5 The work completed by the candidates must be handed in and submitted to the WCED, together with the documents.
13.6 In the event of an examination being cancelled because of a power failure, the candidates must do the back-up paper on a date set by the national Department of Basic Education.
13.7 In cases where two examination sessions are scheduled during an examination, namely in the morning and afternoon, the above procedure applies to the session during which the power failure occurs.

14. In the event of computer breakdowns during the examination, the following procedure must be followed:
14.1 Candidates must be immediately moved to back-up equipment, and appropriate additional time must be provided to the candidates.
14.2 No additional time will be allowed for work lost that was not correctly saved.
14.3 Candidates must complete the examination paper within the set time.

15. Non-adherence to the instructions contained in this minute could lead to disciplinary measures and possible charges being laid in terms of the applicable legislation.

16. Please feel free to contact Mr I Francis (tel. no. 021 467 2549 or e-mail address ifrancis@pgwc.gov.za) for clarification and/or assistance.

17. Kindly ensure that a copy of this minute is provided to all teachers and invigilators of Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology.


SIGNED: BK SCREUDER
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2010:09:29

Annexure G (Government Gazette No. 31337 of 29 August 2008)  (size: 218 KB)
Addendum A: Requirements for offering CAT and IT  (size: 9 KB)
Addendum B: Roles and responsibilities  (size: 20 KB)
Addendum C: Checklists  (size: 31 KB)