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 and assessments, as well as for the period thereafter ending on the last school day for learners on 10 December 2010. 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. Learners must be at school at the normal start of the school day.
1.2 During the period of examinations, all learners must attend school each school day. Those not writing examinations must either be receiving teaching or be engaged in revision for the examinations. It is important that learners are not left unsupervised in their classrooms.
1.3 The principal must consult the district office in order to find an acceptable solution if, during the NSC examinations, learner attendance in the other grades is disrupted by accommodation difficulties.

2. Schools offering Grades 10 and 11 must arrange their examinations timetable so that their examinations begin no earlier than Wednesday, 10 November 2010. Schools which offer subjects with practical components may begin their practical examinations on Monday, 8 November 2010.
3. Depending on their school population, schools should consider religious days when drawing up their end-of-year examinations timetable. A religious day to consider during the November and December 2010 examinations period is Eid-ul-Adha on 17 November 2010. Note however that this date is subject to the sighting of the moon, as confirmed by the relevant faith authorities.
4. 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 the 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.
5. Learner profiles, learner evidence of learning, and teacher portfolios and files must be available for moderation and progression on the dates stipulated by the districts.
6. All schools are requested to submit their examination timetables to their circuit team managers by 1 November 2010 for approval.
7. When all schools release their learners at 13:00, the learner transport arrangements should not be affected.
8. This Minute expires on 31 December 2010. The new Policy on Learner Attendance (Government Gazette No.33150 of 4 May 2010) will come into effect on 1 January 2011 and provide schools with standard procedures for recording, managing and monitoring learner attendance.


SIGNED: JH LYNERS
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2010:08:25