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Article by Granville Whittle
The Department of Basic Education has noted the confusion in statements by Grade 12 learners and the media concerning the weighting of the preliminary/preparatory examination mark as part of the final School based Assessment mark (SBA) for each subject. The SBA constitutes 25% of the final promotion mark. The final November examination makes up the remaining 75%.
What is School based assessment?
School based assessment (SBA) refers to the assessment conducted by the teacher in the classroom based on prescribed assessment tasks that are listed in the Subject Assessment Guidelines (SAG). These assessment tasks include all the following:
- controlled tests;
- the June examinations;
- the preliminary/preparatory examinations; and
- other forms of assessment that are specific to the subject as prescribed in the Subject Assessment Guidelines (the number and type of assessment can differ for each subject).
Together, all these assessment tasks constitute 25% of the final promotion mark for each subject. These assessment tasks must be conducted during the Grade 12 year and in the case of the Grade 12 class, these tasks are completed by the end of the third quarter.
Moderation of the School based Assessment
Given the fact that these tasks are administered by the teacher there is a need for the assessment task together with the learner evidence to be moderated at the school level by the Head of Department or senior teacher, by the District subject advisory services and at the provincial level. In most Provincial Education Departments, the moderation at school and district level is an ongoing process, and provincial moderation is reserved for the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter.
What percentage of the School based assessment mark is given to the Preliminary/preparatory examination mark for each subject?
The preliminary/preparatory examination mark for each subject is one of the components that constitutes the school based assessment (SBA) that make up 25% of the final promotion mark for that subject.
This implies that the preparatory examination constitutes anything between 5 – 7 % of the final promotion mark in the subject, depending on the number of assessment tasks that are prescribed for the subject.
Who is responsible for setting the preliminary examination papers?
There are no nationally set preliminary examination papers.
In some provinces, there are no provincially set preliminary examination papers. Instead schools set their own papers.
In other provinces, schools with a positive percentage pass rate set their own preliminary examinations. These provinces have opted to set examination papers for underperforming schools.
Importance of the Preliminary/preparatory examinations
Firstly, the preliminary/preparatory examinations are an opportunity that allows candidates to sit for fully fledged examinations which assess their state of preparedness to write the final examination in each subject.
Learners have the opportunity not only to gauge the extent of their subject knowledge but also to experience the conditions including time constraints under which they write the final examination. Following instructions and using time properly in an examination to answer all questions adequately are acquired skills that require the practice that the preliminary examination affords them.
Secondly, the marks achieved by the learner in the preliminary examination for each subject are included in the calculation of the school based assessment mark for that subject.
Enquiries: Granville Whittle
Chief Director: Communications
Cell: 072 148 9575/ 072 148 9575
Article Tags: weighting of the preliminary exam mark
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