Approval for the release of Examination Results (03 January 2012); Eastern Cape Department of Education

Approval for the release of Examination Results

Posted on Tuesday, 03 January 2012
Article by Umalusi

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations are administered by two private assessment bodies viz. the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and Eksamensraad vir Christelike Onderwys (ERCO) and the Department of
Basic Education (DBE). The IEB also administers the examinations for the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) ABET level 4.

Umalusi as the Quality Council responsible for standards and quality in general and further education and training is the authority accountable for assuring the quality of these qualifications.

The National Senior Certificate is a high profile qualification with substantial currency in South Africa. The demands placed on this qualification are significant in that it not only serves as an indication of a learner’s achievement after twelve years of schooling, but also as an indication of whether a learner has achieved the minimum entrance requirements for accessing higher education and the world of work.

The overall performance of learners in the NSC is also viewed as an indicator of the “standard” of education in South Africa.

Given the importance of the National Senior Certificate Umalusi implements a comprehensive and stringent quality assurance regime annually to assure the standard, quality and credibility of this qualification.

In terms of the GENFETQA Act of 2001(as amended in 2008), Umalusi is required to approve the release of results once it is satisfied that the examinations have been conducted in a credible manner. In order to make this determination, Umalusi undertakes the following quality assurance processes:

(1) Moderation and approval of question papers;
(2) Verification of the moderation of internal
assessments;
(3) Monitoring of the conduct of examinations;
(4) Monitoring of the marking process;
(5) Verification of marking;
(6) Standardisation of the results.

In standardising the raw mark of learner performance for each subject Umalusi is concerned with safeguarding the value, integrity and credibility of the NSC while also ensuring that learner performance is not affected by any external factors outside of their control, and that standards are maintained from year to year.

As the Quality Council, Umalusi remains acutely aware of its public accountability and therefore, will again this year, make public the standardisation decisions for the NSC for the 2011 examinations. In the interest of informing the general public about its quality assurance processes
Umalusi has produced a booklet that clearly explains what standardisation is, why and how it is done.

This being the fourth year of the NSC examinations is significant as it is now possible to determine a three-year historical profile of learner performance for each subject. The historical profiles provide critical information for the
standardisation of learner performance.

In standardising the results of the three assessment bodies involved in administering the examinations, Umalusi wishes to make the following declarations in respect of each:

Declaration in respect of examinations administered by the Independent Examinations Board (IEB)

National Senior Certificate:

In all, 8 281candidates were enrolled for the NSC examinations set and administered by the IEB. In total, 58 subjects were presented for standardisation. The IEB is also responsible for the setting and marking of non-official languages taken by candidates nationally.

After moderation, raw marks were accepted for 45 (i.e., 78%) of the subjects. Moderation with minor upward shifts towards the historical profile was effected in 5 (i.e., 9%) of the subjects. Moderation with minor downward shifts towards the historical profile, was made for 10 (i.e., 13%)
of the subjects.

General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) ABET level 4:

The IEB offers examinations in 8 out of 23 learning areas at ABET level 4. In all,

1 070 candidates sat for the examinations. After moderation, raw marks were accepted for all 8 learning areas.

Having studied all the available evidence on the management and conduct of the examinations administered by the Independent Examinations Board, Umalusi Council is satisfied that nothing compromised the integrity or credibility of the examinations. The Council therefore concludes that the examinations were fair, valid and credible. The IEB is commended for administering successful and credible examinations. Accordingly Umalusi Council approves the release of the results of the 2011 National Senior Certificate and the 2011 GETC ABET
level 4 examinations conducted by the IEB, on a date to be determined by the IEB.

Declaration in respect of the examinations administered
by the Eksamensraad vir Christelike Onderwys (ERCO)

In all, 1 273 candidates were enrolled for NSC examinations set and conducted by ERCO. In total, 21subjects were presented for standardisation. After moderation, raw marks were accepted for 18 (i.e., 86%) of the subjects. Moderation with minor upward shifts towards the historical profile was effected in 3 (i.e., 14%) of the subjects.

Umalusi has the responsibility to ensure the quality, standard and credibility of the National Senior Certificate. In so doing it must also ensure that learners are not affected by factors that impact on their performance other than their subject knowledge, ability and aptitude.

In upholding this mandate Umalusi is obliged to express great concern with respect to ERCOs apparent lack of capacity and ability to administer national examinations successfully in all respects (from setting of question papers, and the moderation of site based assessment, through to the conduct of the examinations commencing with registration and ending with marking and resulting). In order to ensure a credible examination and to mitigate any adverse impact on learners, Umalusi initiated substantial interventions in the period leading up to and during ERCO’s 2011 examinations. It must also be noted that ERCO used 39 papers set by the Department of Basic Education, and approved by Umalusi.

Having carried out the moderation of the learners’ performance in the examinations administered by ERCO Umalusi has decided not to accept the site-based assessment marks of all ERCO candidates and learner results will be computed without the SBA component. Notwithstanding all of the above, Umalusi declares that the moderated examination marks are a fair reflection of
learner performance and accordingly approves the release of the results of the NSC examinations administered by ERCO on a date determined by ERCO.

Declaration in respect of the examinations administered
by the Department of Basic Education:

In all, 620 266 (512 029 full time and 108 237 part time) candidates were enrolled for the NSC examinations set and administered by the Department of Basic Education. In total, 56 subjects were presented for standardisation.
After moderation, raw marks were accepted for 45 (i.e., 80%) of the subjects. Moderation with minor upward shifts towards the historical profile was effected in 3 (i.e., 5%) of the subjects. Moderation with minor downward shifts towards the historical profile, was effected for 8 (i.e., 15%)
of the subjects.

Having studied all the evidence at hand on the management and conduct of the NSC examinations administered by the Department of Basic Education, Umalusi Council is satisfied that nothing compromised the integrity or credibility of the examinations. The Council therefore concludes that the examinations were fair, valid and credible. The DBE is commended for administering successful and credible examinations process.

Accordingly Umalusi Council approves the release of the results of the 2011 National Senior Certificate conducted by the DBE, on a date to be determined by the Minister of Basic Education.

Umalusi Council is pleased that the system is stabilizing well and has reached a significant level of maturity as evidenced by the high percentage of subjects whose raw marks were accepted after the moderation process. It is also worth noting that in the few instances where moderation shifts towards the average historical learner performance in a subject were approved, such adjustments were significantly below the maximum of 10 % provided for in the standardisation principles.

Umalusi has taken note of the intervention and improvement strategies implemented by both national and provincial education authorities and the positive impact of these on the overall assessment system as well
as on teaching and learning.

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