1. This minute must be read in conjunction with the National Policy pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of the National Senior Certificate Examination published as Government Notices 372 and 373 in Government Gazette, Vol 587 No 37652, dated 16 May 2014, the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements and the Regulations pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the National Curriculum Statement.

2. School-Based Assessment (SBA), Practical Assessment Tasks (PAT) and Language Oral mark sheets
2.1 The generated mark sheets for the SBA, PAT and Language Oral assessments will be delivered to schools by mid-September 2017. The following subject mark sheets will not be sent to schools but will be delivered directly to the Senior Curriculum Planners at Head Office:

Dance studies Design Dramatic Arts
Electrical Technology Mechanical Technology Music
Trinity Music Unisa Music Visual Arts
2.2 On receipt of the mark sheets principals must ensure that all the required subject mark sheets for their school, reflecting the candidates per subject, have been received.
2.3 Please note that only one copy of each mark sheet will be provided for completion. It is therefore vital that copies of mark sheets are made by the school and subject advisers after moderation and kept at the school and district for record purposes.
2.4 Schools need to ensure that the mark sheets are completed and made available to subject advisers on the day of moderation. Subject teachers must fill in only the non-moderated mark in the "Mark" column.
2.5 Only after the final moderation of each subject, should moderated marks be accurately transferred to the "Mod" column on the SBA mark sheets by the subject advisers.
2.6 Should the school only receive the generated mark sheets after the moderation process has been completed, the necessary arrangements must be made with subject advisers for the completion and signing of the mark sheets.

3. Awarding of SBA, PAT and Language Oral marks
3.1 A mark must be awarded to each candidate whose examination number appears on the mark sheet.
3.2 This also applies to candidates who:

  • were expelled or temporarily suspended from school;
  • have applied for a change of centre;
  • were absent for a prolonged period during the year;
  • were absent on the day of moderation;
  • are registered for a subject at another school or centre e.g. art centre; or
  • are registered as repeaters/part-time candidates.
4. Outstanding SBA, PAT and Language Oral marks (candidates who were absent and those with no SBA, PAT and Language Oral marks)
4.1 If a learner fails to present a component or components of the SBA, PAT or Language Oral during the course of the year, and valid reasons are provided, the learner should be allowed another opportunity to be assessed in the assigned tasks or the learner must submit outstanding work three weeks before the commencement of the final end-of-year examination (by 02 October 2017). If this is not possible, the mark for that component or components of the SBA, PAT and/or Language Oral should not be taken into consideration and the maximum mark, in this particular case, must be recalculated based on the remaining number of tasks in Table 1.

Table 1: Valid reason (SBA, PAT and Language Oral components of subject with learner’s marks):

  Compo-nent 1 Compo-nent 2 Compo-nent 3 Compo-nent 4 Compo-nent 5 Compo-nent 6 Compo-nent 7
Max. marks 5 5 30 20 40 40 40
Learner 4 Did not offer (valid reason given) 16 Did not offer (valid reason given) 20 15 12

SBA mark = (4+16+20+15+12)/(5+30+40+40+40)
= 67/155
= 43%
4.1.1 A "valid reason" in this context includes the following:

  1. illness, supported by a valid medical certificate, issued by a registered medical practitioner;
  2. humanitarian reasons, such as the death of an immediate family member supported by a death certificate;
  3. the learner appearing in a court hearing, which must be supported by written evidence; or
  4. any other reason as may be accepted as valid by the head of the assessment body or his or her representative.
4.1.2 The evidence of such valid reasons must be included with the evidence of learner performance during the moderation session.
4.2 If a learner fails to present a component or components of the SBA, PAT and Language Oral, without a valid reason, the learner will be given up until three weeks before the commencement of the final end-of-year examination (until 02 October 2017) to submit outstanding work. If this is not possible, the learner must be awarded a zero mark ("0") for that component or components of the SBA, PAT and Language Oral. In this particular case, the maximum mark must be calculated as indicated in Table 2.

Table 2: No valid reason (SBA, PAT and Language Oral components of subject with learner’s marks):

  Compo-nent 1 Compo-nent 2 Compo-nent 3 Compo-nent 4 Compo-nent 5 Compo-nent 6 Compo-nent 7
Max. marks 5 5 30 20 40 40 40
Learner 4 Did not offer (no valid reason given) 16 Did not offer (no valid reason given) 20 15 12

SBA mark = 4+0+16+0+20+15+12)/(5+5+30+20+40+40+40)
= 67/180
= 37%
4.3 If all components are awarded a zero mark ("0") the learner will receive an incomplete mark and must be recorded as absent.
4.4 The following scenarios need to be emphasised with regard to the completion of the mark sheets.
4.4.1 Where a candidate did not complete any tasks at all, but provided a valid reason, insert "999" on the mark sheet. Evidence of valid reason(s) must be provided to the subject advisers at the moderation session.

Implications of "999":

  • The candidate will receive an incomplete result, even if the other examination papers are written.
  • The candidate will be given three months after the release of results to submit SBA and/or PAT/Language Oral marks. These marks must be submitted by the subject advisers to the Directorate: Examinations Administration by no later than 30 March 2018. Failure to submit the outstanding SBA, PAT and/or Language Oral marks within the stipulated three months after the release of results will result in the candidate having to repeat the entire subject.
4.4.2 Where the candidate did not complete any tasks at all and no valid reason was provided, insert "444" on the mark sheet. Such a candidate will receive an incomplete result and must repeat the entire subject, including the SBA, PAT or Language Oral in the subsequent NSC end-of-year examination. The candidate will not qualify to write the supplementary examination in February/March 2018.
4.4.3 All subject corrections will be treated as irregularities. Insert "888" in the mark column and submit a motivation and evidence (Grade 11 or Grade 12 Term 1 school report) with the completed Annexure A form. The decision with regard to the resulting of the learner will be taken by the Head of Education. No subject changes will be allowed.

5. Responsibility of principals regarding the completion of mark sheets

Principals must ensure that all National Senior Certificate candidates in their schools have been allocated the required SBA, PAT and Language Oral marks. Principals must sign the mark sheet after it has been completed by the teacher, to ensure compliance with this minute.
6. Responsibility of subject advisers regarding the moderation of mark sheets

Subject advisers take full responsibility for the moderation process of the SBA, PAT and Language Oral components as well as ensuring compliance with regards to the moderation, the completion of mark sheets and the outstanding marks.

Mark sheets or Annexure A forms will not be accepted by the Directorate: Examinations Administration unless signed by the teacher, principal and subject adviser.

7. Return date

Assessment coordinators must ensure that the completed mark sheets reach the Directorate: Examinations Administration by 27 October 2017.

8. Principals are requested to provide a copy of this minute to Grade 12 Coordinators and teachers.


SIGNED: PAD BEETS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT
DATE: 2017:07:31

Government Gazette, No 37652  (size: 221 KB)
Annexure A  (size: 51 KB)