SETTING AND MAINTAINING STANDARDS in the NSC WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE NSC RESULTS? SETTING AND MAINTAINING STANDARDS in the NSC Portfolio Committee APRIL 2012

Quality Assurance of Assessment Regulatory Framework Quality Assurance of Assessment NQF Act Section 27 (h) The QC must develop and implement policy and criteria for assessment for the qualifications on its sub-framework. From Quality Assurance to Standard Setting

Umalusi Model for Setting Standards for Qualifications on the Sub-framework Qualifications and Curriculum – Intended Curriculum Evaluation and Accreditation – Enacted Curriculum Quality Assurance of Assessment – Assessed Curriculum

Purpose of the National Senior Certificate Relatively new qualification Inherited qualification Purpose of the NSC HE vs. School Leaving HE vs. Employment Single qualification to accommodate all candidates vs. previous HG / SG option The underlying philosophy of the NCS had been designed to ensure that most people achieve the minimum requirement for a pass

Standards for the National Senior Certificate Standards captured in National Curriculum Statements and Subject Assessment Guidelines (National Policy Documents) HE participants in development of NCS Umalusi responsibility to ensure that NCS and SAG standards are maintained

Quality of the NSC questioned….. 1. More learners passing – at lower levels 2. Pass mark of 30 % and 40% 3. Qualifying candidates not displaying requisite knowledge and skills 4. Maths and Lang competencies continue to be weak 5. Standardisation process questioned 6. National Benchmark Tests

Immediate critical issues….. 1. (perceived ) Gap between School and HE and everything in between 2. Standards of Assessment

Higher Education Issue of University readiness as old as education itself NSC – minimum requirements (revision?) University and faculty admission requirements Bridging Programmes “Blame Game” – a vicious cycle

Some points of comparison The number of candidates passing The quality of the results The standardisation of the exam The predictive quality of the exam for performance at HE level

Pass Mark 1. 30% and 40 % not invention of the NSC 2. SC – converted passes HG to SG; SG to LG 3. SC - exemption determined by attaining aggregate score 4. NSC – 3 x 40% and 3x 30% (40% in HL) Higher certificate – NSC + 30% (LOLT) Diploma – NSC + 30%(LOLT) + 4 (40% and above) Degree - NSC + 30%(LOLT) + 4 (50% and above from designated list)

The number of candidates passing Massification is a natural outcome of an education system that is non-racist, non-sexist and democratic It is clear that there has been a steady increase over the last decade in the number of learners who enrolled for and wrote the SC and then NSC – notable exception 2010 and 2011

The number of candidates passing : Trends in SC / NSC enrolment and passes SC / NSC examination results, all schools, 1994-2011 Year No. of Candidates Passes Number Change in number (%) Change in passes (%) 1995 531 453 7 283 742 -1 1996 518 032 -3 278 958 -2 1997 555 267 261 400 -6 1998 552 384 272 488 4 1999 511 159 -7 249 831 -8 2000 489 941 -4 283 294 13 2001 449 371 277 206 2002 471 309 5 324 752 17 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

Year No. of Candidates Passes Number Wrote Change in number (%) Change in passes (%) 2002 471 309 5 324 752 17 2003 440 267 -7 322 492 -1 2004 467 985 6 330 717 3 2005 508 363 9 347 184 2006 528 525 4 351 503 1 2007 564 775 7 368 217* 2008 533 561 -6 333 604 -9 2009 552 073 3.5 334718 0.33 2010 537 543 -2.7 364 513* 8 2011 496 090 -7.7 348 117 -4.4 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

The quality of the results Concerns about quality has become a thorny issue and the subject of much debate albeit uninformed at most times. SA public uses the matric results as the main indicators of quality of the education system and so there is an understandable concern about what these results of a relatively new qualification is saying about the current state of education It is important however that we interrogate some of our assumptions that inform our beliefs about standards and quality

Assumptions that affect our perceptions The assumption is that “more means less” or “more means worse” The assumption that a higher pass rate is as a result of: Lowering standards Upward adjustment of marks

Umalusi’s comparative research: NSC with SC (NATED 550) Another assumption is that the NCS is of a lower standard than the previous curriculum. Research completed by Umalusi into the standard of the NCS curriculum confirms that in most cases the NCS presents a greater cognitive challenge The NCS also represents modern, updated and more demanding versions of previous subjects

Understanding the NSC 2008 Maintaining Standards, 2009 – 6 gateway subjects comparing the intended and examined curricula for the SC and the NSC 2009 Maintaining Standards, 2010 – Accounting, Business Studies, Economics and History Evaluating the South African NSC i.r.o selected international qualifications: a self-referencing exercise to determine the standing of the NSC, 2010 - research jointly undertaken by Umalusi and Higher Education South Africa

Umalusi’s research on comparisons with other qualifications Another assumption is that the NCS is of a lower standard than the previous curriculum. Research completed by Umalusi into the standard of the NCS curriculum confirms that in most cases the NCS presents a greater cognitive challenge The NCS also represents modern, updated and more demanding versions of previous subjects

Umalusi’s research on comparisons with other qualifications National Senior Certificate (NSC), Department of (Basic) Education (South Africa)/Umalusi International Baccalaureate Diploma, Standard Level and higher Level, International Baccalaureate Organization International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), A Levels, Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC), Department of Education (Namibia)

Findings NSC curriculum fits comparably within the range of selected curricula Content and level most similar to the IB SL and CIE AS Level Increasing depth and level of difficulty NSC International Baccalaureate Cambridge International Examinations Namibia IB Mathematical Studies SL IGCSE Namibian OL IB SL AS Level Namibian HL IB HL A Level

Minimum Pass Mark QUALIFICATION ASSESSMENT RATING SCALE MINIMUM PASS NSC 1-7 2 (30%) 3 (40%) in HL IB DIPLOMA 4 IGSCE A-E C* (*grade boundaries not fixed) A / AS Level D* NSSC OL NSSC HL A-G 1-4 C* 3*

Trust and credibility: The standardisation of the exam Another assumption is that we now use vastly different methods of standardising the results Responsibility for matriculation results has changed hands: JMB (1918 to 1992) SAFCERT (1992 – 2001) Umalusi (2002 – to date) The one constant has been the standardisation process used for the examinations. This is crucial to: Obtain equivalence of the standard of the qualification across years, subjects Deliver a relatively constant product to the HE sector and to the workplace Trust in the statutory institutions established with particular mandates.

SC / NSC examination results Senior Certificate examination results, all schools, 1994-2011 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

SC / NSC examination results and HE SC/NSC examination results, all schools, 1994-2010 Year No. of Candidates Passes University Exemption Number Rate (%) 1994 495 408 287 343 58 88 497 18 1995 531 453 283 742 53 78 821 15 1996 518 032 278 958 54 79 768 1997 555 267 261 400 47 69 007 12 1998 552 384 272 488 49 69 856 13 1999 511 159 249 831 63 725 2000 489 941 283 294 68 626 14 2001 449 371 277 206 62 67 707 2002 471 309 324 752 69 75 048 16 2003 440 267 322 492 73 82 010 19 2004 467 985 330 717 71 85 117 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

SC/ NSC examination results and HE SC/ NSC examination results, all schools, 1994-2010 Year No. of Candidates Passes University Exemption Number Rate (%) 2004 467 985 330 717 71 85 117 18 2005 508 363 347 184 68 86 531 17 2006 528 525 351 503 66 85 830 16 2007 564 775 368 217 65 85 454 15 2008 533 561 333 604 63 107 642 20 2009 552 073 334 718 60 109 697 2010 537 543 364 513 67.8 126 371 23.5 2011 496 090 348 117 70.2 120 767 24.3 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

Senior Certificate examination results Senior Certificate examination results, all schools, 1994-2008 Sources: DoE, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2007, 2008, 2009

Thank You