1. In its quest to provide all children in the province with a good education, the Western Cape Education Department continues to identify and remedy those aspects of school life that can be improved in order to improve school education. One of these is the protection and productive use of official school hours. Schools which continue to improve learner achievement have identified this as important to their success.

2. The WCED also wishes to respond to appeals from parents concerning the school hours which apply during examination times. The WCED has received many complaints from parents and concerned citizens about the fact that learners leave schools early or do not attend schools for two to three days at a time because of decisions taken by schools on attendance during examinations. These decisions make it difficult for parents and caregivers to supervise and make travel arrangements of their children. In addition, the WCED wishes to ensure that teachers whose own children are affected by changes to school attendance times during examinations, are themselves not forced to reduce teaching time in their own classes in order to transport their own children. In order to assist all concerned, there is need for uniformity in this matter throughout the province.

3. The following are the attendance requirements during the September Grade 12 'trial' examinations, the final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, the September examinations and assessments for Grades 1 - 11, and the 4th term examinations and assessments for Grades 1 - 11:
3.1 September Grade 12 'trial' examinations:

  • Only Grade 12 learners write full-scale examinations in the third quarter of the school year. These examinations are intended to expose learners to final examination conditions and to assess their preparedness for the final examinations.
  • These September examinations may not start earlier than 12 September 2011
  • Every effort should be made to timetable two papers or subjects per day so as to limit the length of the examinations period. Example: Afrikaans Paper 1 and Paper 2 on the same day.
  • All Grade 12 learners, including hostel residents, are required to attend school up to and including the last day of the 3rd term.
  • Only Grade 12 learners may be dismissed after they have written the final paper of the day, but not earlier than 13:00.
  • No study leave is allowed.
  • The September examinations timetable for Grade 12 must be submitted to the relevant IMG manager for approval.
  • The school's invigilation roster must be drawn up in such a way that it does not disrupt classes in the lower grades.
3.2 The final NSC examinations for Grade 12:

Circular 7 of 2011 provides information on the arrangements for the October- December 2011 NSC examinations. The last compulsory normal school day for Grade 12 learners is 14 October 2011.
3.3 September examinations and assessments for Grades 1 - 11:

  • All Grades 1 - 11 learners are exposed to various examinations and assessments during the 3rd term, and these may include tests, practical assessment tasks and continual assessment in class
  • Therefore, all Grades 1 - 11 learners, including hostel residents, are required to be at school for the full school day for the entire term.
  • Teachers must also ensure that learners complete the minimum number of assessments per subject.
3.4 4th term examinations and assessments for Grades 4 - 11:

  • All learners, other than Grade 12 learners, are required to attend school every day for the full term.
  • Learners may not be absent on days when they are not writing examinations.
  • The examinations for Grade 4 - Grade 11 learners may not start earlier than 18 November 2011.
  • During this period, learners may not be dismissed earlier than 13:00.
  • Learners are required to be at school from the normal starting time of the school day and should not arrive only at the start of the examination.
  • After the completion of the examinations, learners are required to attend school up to and including 9 December 2011. Schools are requested to plan for the post-examination period and to include orientation of learners for the next school year.
4. School principals are requested to communicate these arrangements clearly and unambiguously to all learners, teachers and parents in order to eliminate any misunderstanding.

5. Adherence to the above by all schools will ensure the safety and academic development of all our children.


SIGNED: L ROSE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL: INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATION
DATE: 2011:06:23