REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM STATEMENT (NCS) GRADES R-12

1. REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM STATEMENT (NCS) GRADES R-12 PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE: 7 August 2012

2. TABLE OF CONTENT Background Purpose of the Presentation The Need for Regulations The Composition of the regulations

3. PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION To provide a rationale for the development and implementation of the regulations of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), Grades R-12.

4. BACKGROUND To ensure that the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 is applicable to all public schools and those independent schools offering the National Curriculum Statement it is necessary to develop two sets of regulations namely for: Curriculum; and The National Senior Certificate examination

5. THE NEED FOR REGULATIONS • Power of the Minister in terms of policy • Until 2001 all policy issues regarding curriculum and assessment were approved in terms of section 3(4)(l) of NEPA, 1996. • In 2001 the Constitutional Court ruled that policy alone is not sufficient (Harris vs the Department of Education regarding school age requirements). • SA Schools Act was amended to make provision for section 6A, Minister may determine outcomes and standards, and procedures and processes of assessment to be applicable to all schools.

6. THE NEED FOR REGULATIONS cont… • The Minister may also in terms of section 61 of SA Schools Act translate policy into regulations • Currently policy must be approved in terms of both sections 3(4)(1) of NEPA and 6A of the Schools Act • Both the Senior Certificate and National Senior Certificate have a combined set of curriculum and assessment regulations • The Department’s legal team in the case BCVO vs the DBE recommended that curriculum and assessment should rather be separated

7. THE NEED FOR REGULATIONS cont… • Three policy documents comprising the NSC Grades R-12 are accommodated in the draft regulation document: • National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the NSC • National protocol for assessment Grades R-12 • CAPS for all subjects

8. COMPOSITION • Scope and application • The Regulations apply to all pubic schools and those independent schools offering the NSC Grades R-12 • Must be read in conjunction with the 3 sets of NCS Grades R-12 documents. • Definitions • Definitions assigned in the Act have the same meaning in the Regulations. • Duration of the various phases in the NCS • Grades 1-9, compulsory education, in terms of the SA Schools Act • NSC a 3-year qualification (Grades 10-12), however not compulsory, it has been provided for in terms of the Constitution.

9. COMPOSITION cont… • Programme Requirements, Grades R-12 • Number and composition of subjects specified for each grade in the policy document and • Minimum subject content as stipulated in Chapters 2 and 3 of the CAPS • Promotion Requirements, Grades R-12 • Minimum pass requirements as specified in policy • May progress once in a phase • Progression must not be used for gate keeping purposes • Learners progressed must receive relevant support • School-Based Assessment (SBA) • Ratio: Internal and external assessment

10. COMPOSITION cont… • Compilation of SBA and PAT marks • Number of formal tasks to be completed as specified in the Protocol and Chapter 4 of the CAPS. • End-of-year-examination • Internally set, marked and moderated in terms of the Protocol and Chapter 4 of the CAPS • Absentees during examination • Valid or non-valid reasons in terms of Protocol • Valid reasons: Marks will be recalculated in terms of subjects already written plus SBA completed • No-valid: The learner will not be resulted • Management of School Assessment records • The compilation, safekeeping and transfer of records as specified in the Protocol

11. COMPOSITION cont… • Examination irregularities • The dealing with irregularities such as dishonesty during the examination as stipulated in the Protocol and the Conduct of the National Senior Certificate examination documents • Recording and reporting of learner performance • 7-point scale as stipulated in policy • Additional subjects • May offer more than the required 7 NSC subjects, provided it complies with the 3-year duration and SBA requirements

12. COMPOSITION cont… • Recognition of subjects from other approved assessment bodies • Procedures regarding the development to be followed by the applicant • Must be developed by an accredited assessment body • Must be assessed and examined by the assessment body • Applicant is responsible for all development and assessment cost incurred • Subject to Minister’s approval • Changing of subjects in Grades 10-12 • 2 subjects in Grades 10 and 11 and 2 in Grade 12 • Subject to: • Approval from the HOD • Letter of motivation from the school • Letter from the subject teacher to assist the learner

13. COMPOSITION cont… • Concessions • Deaf and language impairment, may offer only one official language, provided another approved subject is offered in the place of the one official language not offered; • Dyscalculia, exempted from the offering of Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, provided another approved subject is offered in the place of Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy; • Immigrant candidates may offer only one official language, provided another approved subject is offered in the place of the one official language not offered;

14. COMPOSITION (cont.) • NSC with Endorsement for learners experiencing barriers to learning • Learners in special schools or in the mainstream but identified for special schools may offer 5 instead of 7 subjects subject to provisos • Certification • Issuing of the NSC and Endorsed NSC by Umalusi • Time Allocation • Weekly teaching time in Grades R-12 Grades R-1 = 23 h Grades 2-3 = 25h Grades 4-12 = 27,5h • Promulgation • In terms of sections 61(c) and (d) of SA Schools Act

15. THANK YOU