Tina Singh, Chief Director, Examinations and Assessment, at the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), replied as follows to a query from the Cape Argus on Common Tasks of Assessment.

Common Tasks of Assessment (CTAs) provide an opportunity for external assessment of learners in Grade 9, at the end of the General Education and Training (GET) band, which covers Grades R to 9.

CTAs provide a way of testing learners across the country, against a common standard. The results reflect progress as well as areas needing further attention.

It is not educationally sound to introduce standardised examinations just at the Grade 12 exit level. We need to ensure that all learners that enter the Further Education and Training (FET) band have come through a common assessment.

We know that standards are not the same in all schools. This is one of the major challenges facing education in our country. In an attempt to introduce some kind of benchmark earlier than Grade 12, the CTAs were introduced.

The General Education Certificate (GEC) is planned as a pilot for next year. When one compares the performance of South African learners to learners in other countries, we see that South African learners are not performing well.

As a nation, we cannot sit back and allow each school to conduct their own tests and exams without introducing some kind of standardised tests or benchmark.

Our aim is to be able to compare and compete globally. It is about the learner and how can we as a country enable our learners to better their chances in life.