1. National Senior Certificate
Technical Report
National Senior Certificate
RESULTS
2008
Presented by nkosi sishi –chief director: national examinations, assessment and measurement
12 January 2009 for the Council of Education Ministers (CEM)
MAKING VALID EDUCATION ASESSMENT JUDGEMENTS 1

2. Examination Cycle MAKING VALID EDUCATION ASESSMENT JUDGEMENTS World of
work HE
Examination Cycle
Registration of centres
Enrolment of Learners
Setting of QPs
Internal Moderation
External Moderation
Writing of Examination
Marking Process
Capturing of Marks
Standardisation of Marks
Statistical Moderation of SBA
Declaration of Result by Umalusi
Release of Results by Minister
Certification
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

3. National Curriculum Statement
29 subjects
Modern, updated and more demanding versions of previous subjects
Most have same names; others have changed to reflect content and international trends
All subjects infused with the values of the constitution
All subjects demand extensive reading and extended writing
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

4. Milestones
Examinations completed on 4 December 2008 – no leaks or problems
Marking completed on 12 December 2008
Standardisation process December
Umalusi statement on 23 December
Results to schools on 30 December
Results to media and public on 30 December
MAKING VALID EDUCATION ASESSMENT JUDGEMENTS
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

5. National Senior Certificate
Three-year programme (Grades 10 –12)
All candidates must offer seven subjects:
Two Languages (Home Language Compulsory);
Math / Math Literacy;
Life Orientation and;
Three choice subjects
NSC requires minimum of three subjects achieved (passed) at 40% and three subjects at 30%
25% of mark is school-based assessment and 75% from external examination
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

6. External Quality Assurance
Umalusi declaration:
“the 2008 NSC examinations were conducted in a manner that renders them fair, valid and reliable”.
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

7. Class of 2008
In Grades 3 – 9 offered Curriculum 2005 and in Grades 10 –12 (2006 to 2008) NCS
Record number of learners: more than in 2003 and more than in 2007
No repeaters or part-time learners
More female than male candidates
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

8. Interventions in 2008 National Strategy for Learner Attainment
Systemic interventions
Private sector interventions
Curriculum interventions
Assessment interventions
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

9. Systemic Interventions
Increase in funding for the education system
More teachers to reduce teacher: learner ratio
Recruitment of teachers: internal and external
Improved infrastructure
More learning materials
QIDS-UP and Dinaledi Projects
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

10. Assessment Interventions
Appointment and training of examining panels in 2006
Examination exemplars for Grade 10 in 2006
Examination exemplars and full-scale examinations in Grade 11 in 2007
Examination exemplars in Grade 12 in 2008
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

11. Assessment Interventions
International assessment authorities comment on Grade 12 exam exemplars
Language editing
Selection and training of markers
Marking memo discussions
Increased capacity and security in PDEs
Increased monitoring
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

12. Curriculum Interventions
Subject advisor and teacher training
Increased spending and distribution of textbooks
Examination and assessment exemplars from Grade 10 to
Grade 12
Additional tuition: in and out of school hours
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

13. Private sector interventions
Increased funding
More clearly directed funding and support
Schools adopted
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

14. OVERALL RESULTS
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

15. Categories of Achievements Number of Candidates Percentage
Achievement requirements
Achieved – Bachelors (University admission)
20.2%
NSC and a minimum of 30% in the LOLT of the higher education institution coupled with an achievement rating of 4 (50-59%) or better in four subjects from the designated list
Achieved – Diploma (Admissions for Technikon)
23.3%
NSC and a minimum of 30% in the LOLT of the higher education institution coupled with an achievement rating of 3 (40-49%) or better in four recognised NSC subjects
Achieved - Higher Certificate (Ordinary pass)
19.2%
NSC and a minimum of 30% in the LOLT of the higher education institution
Did not achieve
60 000
11.25%
Number qualified for supplementary
26%
Total
MAKING VALID EDUCATION ASESSMENT JUDGEMENTS
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

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24. SUBJECT RESULTS

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42. Performance per centre

43. Data as processed on 30 December 2008

44. Schools that performed below 60% in 2008
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

45. Data as processed on 30 December 2008

46. Schools that performed below 60% in 2008 in different categories per province
Data as processed on 30 December 2008

47. Data as processed on 30 December 2008

48. Data as processed on 30 December 2008

49. Data as processed on 30 December 2008