| 1. |
The Regulations Pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of the National Senior Certificate Examinations, published in Government Gazette No. 37651 of 16 May 2014, make provision for a final promotion mark for Life Orientation (LO) based on internal assessment, which must be externally moderated, as well as a Common Assessment Task (CAT) that is externally set and moderated. |
| 2. |
This minute therefore informs schools of the procedure to be followed in the administration of the CAT for LO in 2018. |
| 3.1 |
The CAT for LO is part of the final promotion mark in Grade 12 and therefore all Grade 12 learners must write it. |
| 3.2 |
The date for the writing of the CAT for LO is 03 September 2018, from 09:00 to 11:00. Any deviation from this date and time will be regarded as a serious irregularity. |
| 3.3 |
The CAT for LO will consist of a two-hour paper totalling 80 marks. It will replace Task 4 in Term 3 and will constitute 20% of the final mark for LO. |
| 3.4 |
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) will print question papers and answer books for the CAT for LO for all Grade 12 learners in the province according to the final registration data as indicated on the Centralised Education Management Information System (CEMIS) and distribute them to all schools that offer the National Senior Certificate (NSC). |
| 3.5 |
Upon receipt of the question papers in the Smartlock canvas bags, principals must take full responsibility as chief invigilators to ensure that all conditions and rules relating to the NSC examinations are followed. |
| 3.6 |
Principals must open the question papers on the day of the examination in the presence of the learners and oversee the distribution of the question papers. |
| 3.7 |
Principals must ensure that invigilators are vigilant while the CAT for LO is written. |
| 3.8 |
After the writing of the CAT for LO, invigilators must reconcile the scripts with the number of learners present. |
| 3.9 |
The scripts must be sealed in the bag provided, locked in the canvas bag and stored in the strong room of the school until the commencement of marking. |
| 3.10 |
The procedure to submit the names of learners who were absent from writing the examination will be communicated to schools in due course. |
| 3.11 |
It is essential that documentary proof of valid reasons for being absent must be kept on file at the school and must be made available to Head Office and the district office on request. |
| 3.12 |
"Valid reasons" for being absent in this context include:
- illness, supported by a valid medical certificate, issued by a registered medical practitioner;
- humanitarian reasons, which includes the death of an immediate family member, supported by a copy of the death certificate;
- the learner appearing in a court hearing, which must be supported by written evidence; or
- any other reason as may be accepted as valid by the head of the assessment body or his or her representative.
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| 4. |
Marking guideline discussions |
| 4.1 |
National, provincial and district marking guideline discussion meetings will take place in September 2018. Schools will receive the final marking guideline at their district marking guideline discussion meeting. |
| 4.2 |
Scripts may only be removed from the strong room after district marking guideline discussion meetings have been concluded. |
| 5.1 |
The marking of the CAT for LO must be conducted at the school under the supervision of the principal, with a senior teacher or departmental head acting as the internal moderator. |
| 5.2 |
The marking process must be concluded by 27 September 2018. |
| 5.3 |
Where there is more than one teacher teaching LO at a school, principals should ensure that teachers do not mark the scripts of their own learners. |
| 6. |
Moderation of learner evidence |
| 6.1 |
At least ten percent of the marked scripts should be moderated by a senior teacher or departmental head. |
| 6.2 |
The Subject Adviser for LO must moderate a sample of scripts from selected schools. |
| 6.3 |
Provincial moderation of the CAT for LO will be conducted from 01 to 03 October 2018. |
| 7. |
Capturing of marks for CAT for LO |
| 7.1 |
Two separate mark sheets will be issued to schools for the recording of the CAT for LO marks. |
| 7.2 |
The one mark sheet will be used for capturing the CAT marks (80 marks) and the other one will be used for capturing the school-based assessment (SBA) marks (320 marks). |
| 8. |
Principals are kindly requested to make the necessary arrangements for the conduct of this assessment. |
| 9. |
Kindly bring this information to the attention of all Grade 12 Life Orientation teachers and learners. |
SIGNED: PAD BEETS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT
DATE: 2018:08:02
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