1. PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEETING 13 JUNE 2016
REPORT ON
NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS AND REMODELLING OF ANA
PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEETING 13 JUNE 2016

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE Purpose Consolidated 2016 NSC Examination Results
(a) Introduction
(b) Scope and Size
(c) Consolidated Performance
(d) Summary of Gains
Update on Possible Merging of Examinations
(a) Current Assessment Arrangement
(b) Rationale for reconfiguration
(c) Proposed Reconfiguration
(d) Proposed Implementation Plan
Progress and Status on the Remodeling of ANA
(a) Lessons from ANA
(b) Principles underpinning the new Framework
(c) The National Integrated Assessment Framework
Conclusion
Recommendation 2

3. PURPOSE To present to the Portfolio Committee meeting a report on:
Consolidated 2016 NSC Examination Results.
Update on the possible merging of examinations.
Progress and status on the remodelling of ANA. 3 3

4. REPORT ON THE CONSOLIDATED
2016 NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION RESULTS 4

5. INTRODUCTION
The 2017 National Senior Certificate (NSC) Supplementary Examination is considered a second sitting of the 2016 NSC examinations.
Therefore, a consolidation of the performance in the November 2016 and 2017 Supplementary examinations, provides a complete picture of the performance of the Class of
The supplementary examinations commenced on Wednesday, 22 February 2017 and terminated on Friday, 31 March 2017.
The supplementary examinations allows candidates who did not meet the NSC requirements by 1-3 subjects, a second chance.
The Supplementary Examinations were successfully administered across all PEDs. 5

6. INTRODUCTION
f) The only disruption to the examinations were the protest actions which resulted in some candidates not writing the examination in one or two papers. g) The supplementary examinations were conducted following the same standard and rigour of the November 2016 NSC examinations h) The normal quality assurance procedures of the DBE and Umalusi were applied to this examination. i) The results were also approved by Umalusi. 6

7. SCOPE AND SIZE OF 2017 NSC SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMS
No. of Candidates enrolled: No. of candidates wrote: Question Papers: 116 Examination Centres: 6 326 7

8. NUMBER OF CANDIDATES ENTERED AND WROTE SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION IN 2016 AND 2017
Province
Total number of full-time candidates that enrolled and wrote
Total number of full-time candidates that enrolled and wrote
Enrolled (E)
Wrote
(W)
Difference
(E-W)
No. %
Eastern Cape
22 725
11 167
11 558
50.9
23 308
8 424
14 884
63.9
Free State
5 152
3 874
1 278
24.8
3 210
1 877
1 333
41.5
Gauteng
12 571
9 758
2 813
22.4
15 862
7 835
8 027
50.6
KwaZulu-Natal
35 272
19 535
15 737
44.6
36 387
22 673
13 714
37.7
Limpopo
17 499
15 476
2 023
11.6
22 931
20 295
2 636
11.5
Mpumalanga
7 113
4 487
2 626
36.9
10 855
8 195
2 660
24.5
North West
4 247
3 357
890
21.0
3 885
2 829
1 056
27.2
Northern Cape
2 946
2 056
30.2
1 755
1 259
496
28.3
Western Cape
8 441
6 114
2 327
27.6
5 955
3 373
2 582
43.4
National
75 824
40 142
34.6
76 760
47 388
38.2 8

9. COMPARISON OF THE NSC NOVEMBER 2016 EXAMINATION RESULTS AND THE COMBINED RESULTS
Province
November 2016 NSC examinations
Combined November 2016 NSC exam and Supplementary 2017 NSC exam
No. Wrote
No. Achieved
% Achieved
Combined % - November % (Difference)
Eastern Cape
82 902
49 168
59.3
82 913
50 492
60.9
1.6
Free State
26 786
23 629
88.2
26 873
24 123
89.8
Gauteng
88 381
85.1
90 269
86.7
KwaZulu-Natal
98 032
66.4
67.9
1.5
Limpopo
63 595
62.5
67 334
66.2
3.7
Mpumalanga
54 251
41 801
77.1
54 264
42 681
78.7
North West
32 045
26 448
82.5
32 093
27 350
85.2
2.7
Northern Cape
10 041
7 902
10 203
8 333
81.7
3.0
Western Cape
50 869
43 716
85.9
50 997
44 566
87.4
National
72.5
74.5
2.0 9

10. PERCENTAGES ACHIEVED IN NOVEMBER 2016 AND COMBINED10

11. COMPARISON OF THE NSC 2015 and 2016 COMBINED RESULTS
November 2015 NSC exam combined with the 2016 NSC Supplementary exam
November 2016 NSC exam combined with the 2017 NSC Supplementary exam
Difference
Province
No. Combined Achieved
% Combined Achieved
Eastern Cape
50 621 58
50 492
60.9
2.9
Free State
25 899 83
24 123
89.8
6.8
Gauteng
92 915
85.4
90 269
86.7
1.3
KwaZulu-Natal
62.1
67.9
5.8
Limpopo
69 088
67 334
66.2
-1.7
Mpumalanga
43 832
79.6
42 681
78.7
-0.9
North West
27 622
82.9
27 350
85.2
2.3
Northern Cape
8 365
71.8
8 333
81.7
9.9
Western Cape
46 394
85.9
44 566
87.4
1.5
National
72.1
74.5
2.4 11

12. COMPARISON OF THE NSC NOVEMBER 2016 EXAMINATIONS AND COMBINED RESULTS BY QUALIFICATION TYPE
Province
November Achieved Bachelor
Combined Achieved Bachelor
November Achieved Diploma
Combined Achieved Diploma
November Achieved H-Cert
Combined Achieved H-Cert
November Achieved NSC
Combined Achieved NSC
Total November Achieved
Total Combined Achieved
Eastern Cape
15 645
15 740
19 996
20 244
13 520
14 501 5
49 168
50 492
Free State
9 596
9 669
10 244
10 369
3 767
4 062 1
23 629
24 123
Gauteng
37 582
37 908
37 121
37 558
13 615
14 737
88 381
90 269
KwaZulu-Natal
36 139
36 791
39 507
40 347
22 347
24 112 39
98 032
Limpopo
18 762
18 857
23 544
23 935
21 281
24 531 7 9
63 595
67 334
Mpumalanga
12 420
12 448
18 447
18 618
10 918
11 599 16
41 801
42 681
North West
8 820
8 866
11 177
11 329
6 450
7 154
26 448
27 350
Northern Cape
2 606
2 671
3 278
3 387
2 015
2 273
7 902
8 333
Western Cape
20 804
20 988
16 305
16 451
6 573
7 078 2
43 716
44 566
National 68 73

13. COMPARISON NOVEMBER 2016 AND COMBINED RESULTS BASED ON QUALIFICATION TYPES13

14. COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE IN SELECTED SUBJECTS COMBINED RESULTS (2015 AND 2016)
Entered (2016/17)
Wrote (2016/17)
No. Achieved (2016/17)
% Achieved (2016/17)
Wrote (2015/16)
% Achieved (2015/16)
% Difference
Accounting
89 633 69 61 8
Afrikaans 1st Additional Language
85 427
84 147
75 754 90
87 200 92 -2
Agricultural Sciences
81 631 76 77 -1
Business Studies 74 -3
Economics 66
English First Additional Language 97
Geography
History 84 85 -0
Life Sciences 70 71
Mathematical Literacy 72
0.3
Mathematics 51 50
1.6
Physical Sciences 62 60
2.6 14

15. SUMMARY OF GAINS
The total number of candidates that achieved the NSC has increased from to , an increase of   candidates.
The total number of candidates that obtained the Higher Certificate has increased from to , an increase of candidates.
The number of candidates who obtained admission to Diploma studies has increased from 179 619 to , which is an additional 2 619 candidates.
The number of candidates that obtained admission to Bachelor’s studies has increased from to , translating to more candidates compared to the November 2015 NSC examination results. 15

16. POSSIBLE MERGING OF EXAMINATIONS16

17. THE CURRENT EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENT
We have two types of public examinations offered to FET candidates occurring at 3 time points:
November - National Senior Certificate (NSC),
March - (NSC – supplementary)
June - Senior Certificate (SC).
The NSC and the SC are examinations that are administered in parallel.
In 2014, the Minister of Basic Education in conjunction with the Minister of Higher Education, approved the review of the Senior Certificate qualification.
The SC and the NSC utilise the same curriculum but have different rules of combination.
The NSC and the SC qualifications also have different registration criteria given that they cater for different target groups.
SC is an adult qualification while the NSC is a school qualification. 17

18. RATIONALE FOR A RECONFIGURATION
The current Supplementary Examination (SE) is not serving its intended purpose.
Learners that write the supplementary examination are unable to access admission to Higher Education in the year they write the supplementary examination.
Large percentage of “No Shows” and poor performance in the SE.
This streamlining of three examination to two examinations will be both cost effective and efficient, especially from a setting, printing and marking perspective. 18

19. PROPOSED RECONFIGURATION
(a) Streamlining of Examination Events
Supplementary examination is merged with the June Examination.
Three examination opportunities reduced to two.
Candidates that should have written the supplementary examination, now write the June examination
No candidates are disadvantaged.
Candidates retain their SBA and practical marks from the first sitting
Remove the validity period attached to SBA. 19

20. PROPOSED RECONFIGURATION
(b) Creating an Open System for NSC and SC Candidates
NSC and SC candidates retain their qualification status and will be able to write either the November or June examination.
Candidates will be registered on separate systems for the NSC and SC.
Both groups of candidates will write the same examination but will be resulted based on their respective qualifications.
Designated examination centres will be open to candidates that register to write the SC examination for both sittings
Part-time candidates will be limited to subjects without a practical component. 20

21. DISCONTINUATION OF THE SC
Discontinue SC from 2020
b) This will allow all adults with SC credits, three years to complete the SC. Thereafter SC credits will not be recognised.
c) NSC will remain the only exit level qualification.
d) Remove the validity period attached to NSC subjects. Learners given indefinite period to complete the NSC.
e) Part-time learners registering for the for the NSC for the first time, post 2020, provided they are 21 years and older will be exempt from SBA. They will be resulted fully on the examination.
f) Part- time candidates may not offer subjects with a practical component, unless they have a practical mark from their full- time enrollment. 21

22. PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION
Proposal approved in principle by CEM.
(b) In the process of obtaining public comment on this proposal.
(c) If approved by Minister as policy, planned implementation will be as follows:
- first merged June exam and the Supplementary Exams will be in June 2019.
- open access to either November or June examination will commence in November 2019.
- termination of the of the Senior Certificate exams (2020) 22

23. UPDATE AND STATUS ON REMODELLING OF ANA23

24. INTRODUCTION
The introduction and implementation of ANA has been a major strategic intervention in education
The assessment has generated a wealth of valuable data that, in turn, has resulted in more focused and evidence-led public & professional engagement on issues of quality in education
Typical of any major intervention, the rollout of ANA has raised critical issues and questions for both the sustenance & enhancement of the initiative 24

25. ISSUES EMANATING FROM ANA
There has been concern about the use of a single assessment tool to generate data for different purposes:
Scores from diagnostic test data used for monitoring trends (systemic purposes) with no confidential test items.
The design of tests should be different and fit for purpose.
Annual administration of ANA does not allow sufficient time for interventions based on the ANA results.
Administration across every grade is an over-ambitious task.
Effective utilisation of the ANA data by teachers and schools has been lacking. 25

26. ISSUES EMANATING FROM ANA
e) Teacher development programmes emanating from ANA have been inadequate
f) If ANA is diagnostic, why is it administered at the end of the year?
g) Proliferation of standardised and controlled tests across PEDs.
h) There were increasing calls for ANA results to be used for promotion of learners. 26

27. KEY PRINCIPLES
The purpose of assessment must determine the assessment design w.r.t.:
- instrument design,
- administration design; and
- the utilisation of the data.
b) More emphasis must be placed on strengthening classroom assessment.
c) Focus on end of the Phase assessment.
d) Adequate lag time must be allowed for remediation. 27

28. KEY PRINCIPLES
e) There must be effective school support in using information from examinations and national assessment.
f) There must be capacity building of practioners in teaching, learning and assessment.
g) Learner assessment must be linked to contextual factors relating to the conditions of schooling.
h) Assessment overload must be avoided.
i) National Assessment must be designed in the context of all other forms of assessment in the GET and FET band. 28

29. Current Assessment Landscape29

30. ASSESSMENT PROGRAMMES
National Assessment
Monitoring:
Learning outcomes / Trends
Local:
ANA
Regional:
SACMEQ
International:
TIMSS / PIRLS
Exams
External:
Certification
Standards
Monitoring
NSC
Internal:
Promotion
School Based Exams
Common Exams
SBA
Formal tasks of learning:
Summative
Informal tasks for learning:
Diagnostic 30

31. ASSESSMENT AND STANDARD SETTING
GRADE
ASSESSMENT TYPE
NATIONAL STANDARD 12
NSC Exam
SBA
NSC Exams
10 and 11
Internal School Exam
Standardised common exams in selected subjects
Senior Phase ?
Intermediate Phase
Foundation Phase 31

32. Features of The National Integrated Assessment Framework (NIAF)32

33. National Integrated Assessment Framework (NIAF)
ANA redesign process has culminated in the development of a concept document on the National Integrated Assessment Framework (NIAF)
(b) The Model comprises the following three tiers:
Systemic Assessment
Evaluates the health of the system
Administered in Grades 3, 6 and 9
Once every three years, Sample based
Summative Assessment
All learners in the Grade write an examination
Will form part of the end of the year exam
Focus on Grade 6 and Grade 9
Diagnostic/Formative Assessment
Used by teachers to identify learning gaps
Focus on specific content areas
Administered and marked by the teacher 33

34. DESIGN FEATURES Frequency Test format Test development
Test Administration
Marking process
Capture of marks
Reporting 34

35. SYSTEMIC EVALUATION PURPOSE
A sample based systemic evaluation (SE) assessment, done periodically to assess the state of the system as a whole, and the validity of policies and practices of the Department.
Such a sample based assessment allows for international benchmarking and trend analysis across years, with confidential anchor items and questionnaires that are independently administered. 35

36. SYSTEMIC EVALUATION FEATURES
Frequency: Once every three years, focusing on key competencies at Grades 3, 6 and 9. First cycle could start in
Test format: focus on end of phase outcomes.
Test development: Tests items will be confidential. Questionnaires based on policy concerns and contextual factors.
Test administration/Marking and Capture: sample based (statistical models); tests are administered, collected, marked and captured preferably by an independent agent.
Reporting:
National Report (results in context)
Provincial Report (results in context).
Diagnostic Report. 36

37. DIAGNOSTIC/FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Purpose
Diagnostic assessments are directed towards the formative needs of the learner.
Assessment for Learning
Part and parcel of teaching and learning
There can be no effective learning, if diagnostic assessment is not part of the teaching process.
Identifies learning gaps and leads to remediation.
Focus is the classroom and the individual teacher.
More about qualitative data rather than quantitative reporting 37

38. DIAGNOSTIC/FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT FEATURES
Frequency: Administered at strategic points in the teaching continuum to establish progress towards the desired outcome.
Test development: Test items must be graded to indicate learner level of performance.
Test format: Tests may cover a range of topics or single topics; and phase specific (possible difficulty spread: 5% basic; 25% slightly below grade level; 60% at the focus grade; and 10% above grade level) 38

39. DIAGNOSTIC/FORMATIVE FEATURES
Test administration: done by teachers; no time-table. IT platform to support writing and feedback on selected items (e.g. computer/cell- phone App).
Marking: at school level
Capture: at school level (school administration system).
Reporting:
Done at school level.
Reports given to parents.
No aggregation of learner scores beyond school.
Areas of weakness/strengths can be consolidated – circuit/district/province. 39

40. ADVANTAGES
It is designed to provide formative information to teachers and parents.
Low stakes – administered by teacher when necessary.
Reports customised for increased data utilisation at the classroom level:
School reports done by teachers could show areas of strength and support. Learners and their parents receive specific information on learning gaps.
Qualitative diagnostic reports can be done at district and provincial levels.
Digital platforms could facilitate and enable diagnostic reporting. 40

41. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Purpose
Summative assessments will be designed in the form of end-of-year examinations.
Will give schools evidence of how well learners handled the curriculum content given during the course of the year.
They are used to facilitate promotion and progression across academic years. 41

42. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT FEATURES
Frequency: Annual, will replace the end of year examination in specific grades. Commence with Grade 6 in 2019 and Grade 9 will be added in (Model will be similar to NSC).
Test format: content and skills assessed should be curriculum based specific to a grade.
Test development: DBE will appoint examination panels in 2017 and Thereafter, tests will be drawn from item banks.
Test administration: done by teachers; tests printed, packed and distributed by PEDs, national standardised timetable. Digitisation option is being explored.
Marking: National & provincial marking guideline discussions, marking done at school level (moderation by SMT/district).
Capture: at school level (school administration system).
Reporting: Annual Report aggregated at all levels of the system (National/PED/District/School).
Schools fill in promotion/progression schedules. 42

43. ADVANTAGES
Recorded as a formal assessment task and be included in the final SBA mark for progression and promotion (Grades 6 and 9).
Test is part of the current external examination conducted at school.
Sets a national standard at a specific grade level.
All learners in the specific grade write the test (Universal)
Reduced work load on the part of teachers to set a formal assessment task in Mathematics and Languages.
Provide Minister with a reliable indicator of how the system is performing at a particular grade level. 43

44. Proposed Implementation Plan44

45. TIMEFRAMES AND ACTIVITIES …
YEAR
ACTIVITY
2017
Diagnostic Assessment
- Develop diagnostic exemplar tests and manuals.
- CDs distributed to schools with Diagnostic Test-lets for classroom administration (May-June) 2017.
- Electronic version available on DBE website.
- ICT Platform (TARMII – Foundation Phase) to be piloted in September 2017.
(b) Summative Assessment
Conduct a pilot study on test items for Summative Assessment in a sample of schools at Grade 6 and Grade 9 in May 2017.
(c) Systemic Evaluation
Conduct a pilot study on test items for Systemic Evaluation in a sample of schools in Grades 3, 6 and 9 in October 2017. 45

46. YEAR ACTIVITY 2018 (a) Diagnostic Assessment
- From January 2018, Diagnostic Test-lets generated electronically from the TARMII system and providing support to teachers for classroom administration.
- Extension of TARMII to include tests for Intermediate and Senior Phase.
(b) Summative Assessment at Grade 6.
- Conduct pilot study on system readiness at Grade 6 and Grade 9 for the assessment mark to contribute towards the progression or promotion mark.
- The pilot study will include marks upload through the SA-SAMS system. - Pilot study to take place in November 2018.
(c) Systemic Evaluation
Conduct systemic evaluation main study (first cycle) in the third term of 2018. 46

47. YEAR ACTIVITY 2019 Diagnostic Assessment
TARMII assessment items and diagnostics upgraded. TARMII system web-based application implemented (Jan-March 2019).
(b) Summative Assessment at Grade 6.
- Conduct Summative Assessment at Grade 6 in November (Grade 9 added a year later).
- Produce a national report on grade specific competencies at Grade 6 (Dec Jan 2020)
(c) Systemic Evaluation
Generate national, district and diagnostic systemic evaluation reports on Grades 3, 6 and 9 (June 2019). 47

48. Response of Teacher Unions48

49. ENGAGEMENT WITH UNIONS
Following the impasse between teacher unions and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in September 2015, all parties agreed that a task team be established to review the current model of ANA.
The task team comprised officials from five teacher unions (SADTU, NAPTOSA, SAOU, PEU and NATU) and the DBE.
A rich and robust dialogue on the re-design model ensued:
Between September 2015 and March 2016, the task team held 4 operational meetings,
a 5-day working group session with nominated officials from each teacher union and the DBE,
1 academic seminar with invited academics, and
3 special meetings with two independent facilitators. 49

50. RESPONSE OF THE UNIONS
The systemic evaluation (SE) tier is supported by the Unions. The details of implementing the SE model will be finalised by the end of June 2017.
There was principle support for the diagnostic tier, but there were reservations that diagnostic assessment may lead to additional layering of assessment at the classroom level.
Summative assessment was not supported, given that it appeared to resemble ANA.
Unions also expressed concern about the assessment overload in schools due to common examinations and tests.
Unions also opposed to outsourcing of certain assessment functions, relating to specific assessment forms to assessment agencies/institutions
Need for greater teacher development relating to assessment. 50

51. Roundtable on assessment51

52. CONSULTATION WITH EXPERTS
The task team invited researchers who are experts in
the field of national assessments to make presentations and provide inputs on lessons drawn from international perspectives and best practices which provided an important starting point.
b) An Assessment Roundtable was hosted in July where the issues relating to the National Assessment model were presented and discussed in commissions.
c) The inputs from the Assessment Roundtable were also incorporated into the proposed Assessment Model 52

53. Recommendations from Roundtable
The purpose of assessment must determine the assessment design.
More emphasis must be placed on strengthening classroom assessment.
Adequate time must be allowed for remediation.
There must be effective school support to use information from examinations and national assessment.
There must be capacity building of practitioners in teaching, learning and assessment.
Learner assessment must be linked to contextual factors relating to the conditions of schooling 53

54. Next Steps 54

55. NEXT STEPS
A Curriculum and Assessment Task Team has been established, comprising Teacher Unions, DBE and PED representation.
The Task Team has been granted until end July 2017, to resolve the outstanding matters relating to the National Assessment Model.
CEM has approved the implementation of the first systemic assessment in Piloting of the tests will be conducted in 2017. 55

56. CONCLUSION 56

57. CONCLUSION
The consolidated report on the performance in the 2016 NSC examinations, confirms the upward trajectory that is system is pursuing.
The possible merging of the examinations, is in response to making the system more efficient, cost effective and accommodating the needs to learners
The vacuum created by the termination of ANA will not be allowed to continue given the lack of national standardised assessment in the GET band. 57

58. RECOMMENDATION 58

59. RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Portfolio Committee discuss the report on the:
Consolidated 2016 NSC Examination Results.
Update on the possible merging of examinations.
Progress and status on the remodelling of ANA. 59

60. 60