Circ 19/2008 a Combined Supplementary and Senior Certificate Examination (NATED Report

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Enclosures

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On request, this circular will be made available in Afrikaans, isiZulu or Sepedi within 21 days

Also available on the GDE website at: www.education.gpg.gov.za

Office of the Head of Department

Room 1009, 111 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, 2001

PO Box 7710, Johannesburg, 2000

Tel: (011) 355 1511 Fax: (011) 333 5546 E-mail: OR .

English: Page 1 of 20

A COMBINED SUPPLEMENTARY AND SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (NATED REPORT 550) IN MAY/JUNE 2008

1.BACKGROUND

1.1The Department of Education will conduct a combined supplementary and the NATED 550 Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550) as from 2008 in May/June.

1.2The Senior Certificate supplementary examinations will be moved from February/March 2008 to May/June 2008.

1.3The 2008 Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550) for part-time candidates will be moved from October/November to May/June 2008.

1.4The last Senior Certificate supplementary examination for the 2007 cohort of full-time learners will be conducted in May/June 2008. Thereafter only one Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550) will be written in May/June on an annual basis until 2011.

1.5Both the supplementary and the Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550) are independent examinations with their own individual status as stipulated in the relevant policy and regulation documents approved by the Minister of Education on 31 August 2007.

2.PURPOSE

2.1To announce policy changes regarding the Senior Certificate Examination (NATED Report 550).

3.LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

3.1 Government Notice No. 827 in Government Gazette No. 30267 of 7 September 2007.

4REGISTRATION

4.1The closing date of registration for both the 2008 supplementary and Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550) is on or before 31 January 2008.

4.2 31 January 2008 is the common deadline for the registration of part-time candidates for the Senior Certificate examination (NATED Report 550). No registrations will be accepted after this date unless there are exceptional circumstances and the Head of Department or his/her representative approves such registration based on exceptional circumstance.

5.REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Supplementary and Senior Certificate examinations (NATED Report 550) requirements

Only the following candidates qualify to write the May/June 2008 examination:

5.1.1A candidate who became ill during the October/November 2007 examination, on condition that he/she produces a medical certificate.

5.1.2A candidate who has not met the minimum promotion requirements in the examination, but requires one or more subject to obtain a final promotion. Such a candidate will not be limited to a pre-determined number of subjects; however, will be restricted to subjects but not the grade for which he/she registered in the November 2007 examination sitting.

5.1.3A candidate who obtains a conditional exemption, i.e. one requirement short of a Senior Certificate with matriculation endorsement in the October/November 2007 examination, may register for the Senior Certificate examination in May/June 2008 as a supplementary examination. For this purpose, the October/November 2007 and the May/June 2008 examinations will be regarded as one examination sitting.

5. 1.4A candidate who provides documentary evidence that he/she qualifies for admission to university or any other higher education institution, but does not satisfy the higher education faculty/department/subject requirements. Such a candidate will not be limited to a pre-determined number of subjects; however, will be restricted to subjects and grades for which he/she registered in the November 2007 examination sitting.

5.1.5 In the case of a death in the family or other special reasons for absence, admission to the May/June 2008 examination as a supplementary examination is at the discretion of the Head of Department.

5.1.6If a candidate did not write a final October/November 2007 examination for reasons other than an injury or illness, such as participating in international sports fixtures, the candidate may apply for special permission as stipulated in sub-regulation (2) of Government Notice No. 827 in Government Gazette No. 30267. The examination body may allow the candidate to register for the May/June 2008 examination as a supplementary examination.

5.1.7In the case where an irregularity is being investigated, provisional entry to the May/June 2008 examination as a supplementary examination may be granted to the candidate concerned, pending the outcome of the investigation.

5.1.8If in the case of 5.1.7 above, the candidate is found guilty, the results of the May/June 2008 examination are declared null and void.

5.1.9In cases where the reason for admission to the examination of May/June 2008 as a supplementary examination needs to be supported by documentary evidence, it is imperative that the head of the institution be requested to recommend or not recommend the admission of the candidate concerned.

5.1.10A candidate who did not write the 2007 Senior Certificate examination or part thereof due to the reasons stated in 5.1.1 and/or 5.1.5 above may be granted permission to write the May/June 2008 examination as a supplementary examination only in the paper or papers that he/she did not write.

5.1.11The Umalusi Council shall endorse Senior Certificates that have to be endorsed in terms of paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the matriculation endorsement requirements on the first day of the month following the month in which the requirements for endorsement were satisfied, provided that in the case of a candidate who satisfied the requirements for endorsement at two or more examination sittings, the dates on which the subjects were passed at the relevant examination sittings shall also be indicated on the Senior Certificate.

5.2 Senior Certificate examinations (NATED Report 550)

5.2.1 Public and private providers may register part-time candidates for the Senior Certificate examinations.

5.2.2 Unsuccessful Senior Certificate candidates in the Senior Certificate examination of 2007, as well as part-time candidates enrolled for the Senior Certificate, will be given an opportunity until May/June 2011 to complete the Senior Certificate programme.

5.2.3In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 learners will register as part-time candidates.

5.2.4All Senior Certificate subjects successfully completed prior to 2006 will be recognised for the issuing of the Senior Certificate until May/June 2011.

5.2.5A full-time candidate who did not register for a subject in the October/November 2007 examination may not be permitted to write an examination in that subject in the May/June 2008 examination.

5.2.6A part-time candidate who registers for a Senior Certificate may enter for one or more subjects at each examination sitting, provided that he/she must have registered for and sat for a Senior Certificate examination previously to qualify for the May/June 2008 Senior Certificate and/or subsequent May/June examinations.

5.2.7All candidates must have registered and sat for the Senior Certificate examination previously to qualify for registration in this 2008 May/June examination and/or subsequent May/June examinations.

5.2.8Candidates who registered for the Senior Certificate examination for the first time in 2007 and who wish to enter for the 2008 and subsequent Senior Certificate examinations, will only need to prove registration in the 2007 examination.

5.2.9To qualify for matriculation endorsement, full-time candidates for the Senior Certificate must, in accordance with the matriculation endorsement requirements as stipulated in the Matriculation Endorsement and Exemption Regulations, Government Gazette, Vol. 426, No. 21805 of 1 December 2000, as amended in Government Gazettes, Vol. 436, No. 22731 of 12 October 2001, Vol. 448, No. 23900 of 11 October 2002 and Vol. 459, No. 25506 of 26 September 2003, enter for at least six subjects at one and the same examination sitting. An examination sitting refers to the May/June examination sitting only.

6.SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS PROCEDURES

6.1 Candidates entering for the supplementary examinations need to attach the reverse side of the statements of results to the application form provided for the 2008 May/June examinations

and

an identity document (ID) issued by the Department of Home Affairs;

or

a valid passport;

or

a valid driver’s licence;

or

a temporary identity document with an ID size photo affixed to the form; (see the current Examination Manual)

or

an affidavit from the SAPS with an ID photo affixed to it.

6.2The application form must be submitted at the district office appearing on the 2007 October/November examination statement of results.

• NB: Candidates who were ill during the October/November 2007 examinations and submitted the medical certificates must also submit an entry form for the supplementary examinations to the district office.

6.3A candidate who has applied for re-marking of the October/November 2007 examination may also register for the supplementary examinations.

6.4Candidates writing the Computer Studies/Computyping examination will write the practical paper at their previous schools where they wrote the 2007 October/November examination and the theory paper at the examination centre.

6.5Transfer of candidates to other venues will not be considered.

6.6Candidates are to provide full information on the examination entry forms.

6.7 In the case of full-time candidates who wrote the October/November 2007 examination, oral marks, practical marks and CASS marks will be carried over to the 2008 May/June supplementary examinations.

1. SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS WILL NOT BE CONDUCTED IN THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS:

• 131-1/0, 2/0 Hebrew HG and SG
• 133-1/1 Italian HG
• 136-1/1 Spanish HG
• 504-1/1 Jewish Studies HG
• 601-1/2 Art Drawing
• 601-1/3 Art Open
• 602-2/0 Design SG
• 603-2/0 Graphic Art SG
• 604 2/0 Painting SG
• 605-2/0 Sculpture SG
• 607-2/0 Music Composition SG
• 608-2/0 Music Performance SG (Second instrument or singing)
• 610-2/0 Dance Performance SG (Second dance subject)

8. NATED REPORT 550 EXAMINATION PROCEDURES

8.1Candidates who wish to register for the 2008 or subsequent May/June examinations as part-time candidates must complete an application form for registration at the district office in their area of residence.

8.2Candidates who registered for the Senior Certificate for the first time in 2007 as part-time candidates and who wish to register for the 2008 or subsequent May/June examinations as part-time candidates will register as follows:

8.2.1 Candidates that wrote in 2007 need to provide proof of registration.

8.2.2 Candidates who wrote previously (prior to 2007) and are not in possession of the statement of symbols can either apply at the district office or 111 Commissioner Street, Certification and Result Helpdesk, Ground floor, Shop 23, Tel: (011) 355 0607. Candidates must attach a receipt of payment for the issuing of the statement of symbols to the application form.

8.3 Candidates must ensure that they provide the correct personal particulars when they complete an application form, for example, name(s) and surname as appearing on the previous examination records, current physical/postal address, current telephone/cell phone numbers, etc.

9.POSSIBLE CLASHES IN THE MAY/JUNE 2008 EXAMINATION TIMETABLE

The possibility exists that subjects/papers may clash in the examination timetable. In such cases, the following internal arrangements must be made:

9.1 Principals should notify the Directorate: Examinations and Assessment, by faxing to Mrs M. Mokgehle on (011) 355 0622, stating the name and number of the examination centre, the candidate's name(s), the date(s) and session(s) in question and the subject(s)/paper(s) concerned, no later than the day on which the clash occurs.

9.2 The subject with the most candidates at that centre will be written first at the set time according to this examination timetable.

9.3 After this session, the candidates involved must immediately be separated from the other candidates, be granted an opportunity to rest for an hour and be kept under close supervision during this period by an invigilator.

9.4 These candidates must under no circumstances be granted access to any kind of telephone or be allowed to make contact with other candidates or educators.

9.5Candidates will then be allowed to write the second subject.

10.ADMISSION LETTERS

10.1Candidates must collect their admission letters for the 2008 May/June examinations from 15 to 22 April 2008 at the district office where they have entered for the examinations.

11.RESULTS

11.1The GDE will issue new statements of symbols to all candidates who write the May/June examinations.

11.2Statements of results are obtainable at the relevant district offices.

12.FURTHER INFORMATION

12.1The concessions that were granted to candidates with barriers to learning will be transferred from the October/November 2007 Senior Certificate examinations to the supplementary examinations.

13.THE EXAMINATION TIMETABLE

13.1 A timetable for the supplementary and end-of-year NATED 550 Senior Certificate examination in May/June 2008 is attached as Annexure B.

13.2The list of the contact details of the district offices is attached as Annexure A.

13.3 The May/June examinations will commence on 5 May 2008 and end on 18 June 2008.

______

MALLELE PETJE

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

Annexure A

Circular 19/2008

CONTACT DETAILS FOR DISTRICT OFFICES

Head Office should only be contacted in cases where the district cannot assist.

English: Page 1 of 20

Annexure B

Circular 19/2008

TIMETABLE FOR THE SUPPLEMENTARY AND SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (NATED REPORT 550) IN MAY/JUNE 2008