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Portfolio Committee on Basic Education

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Ministerial Committee Report on the National Senior Certificate. Introduction. The National Senior Certificate (NSC) has been under severe criticism since 2009 when there has been a gradual improvement in national performance from 60.6% to 78.2%.

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Portfolio Committee on Basic Education

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  1. Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Ministerial Committee Report on the National Senior Certificate

  2. Introduction • The National Senior Certificate (NSC) has been under severe criticism since 2009 when there has been a gradual improvement in national performance from 60.6% to 78.2%. • The main criticism related to the pass requirements to attain the NSC, specifically the 30% pass requirement in certain subjects.

  3. Introduction • Despite the initiatives from the Minister, Deputy Minister and Director General to convince the critics: • that the NSC reflected an equivalent if not a higher standard, in certain aspects, to the old Senior Certificate (SC); • that the 30% was the basic requirement and that no candidate could acquire the NSC if he obtained 30% in all six subjects; • that the admission to Bachelor studies are higher in the NSC than the old SC given that a candidate has to obtain a pass in four subjects at 50%; the criticisms persisted, albeit, from certain quarters

  4. Introduction • The Minister therefore took the bold step of establishing a Ministerial Committee comprising experts in Education to investigate the pass requirements and the standard of the NSC more broadly. • The Ministerial Committee comprised: • Professor BP O’Connell (UWC) (Chairperson) • Mr G Khosa (JET • Ms EM Khembo (WITS) • Professor S Motala (UJ) • Professor S Howie (UP) • Professor R Vithal (UKZN)

  5. TERMS OF REFERENCE • To establish from current research and other media reports the main criticisms addressed against the National Senior Certificate (NSC) • To conduct a comparative study of the promotion requirements of the NSC and other similar exit qualifications in a few countries. • To evaluate the currency of Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy and whether this is the best option for the South African schooling system.

  6. TERMS OF REFERENCE • To ascertain whether Mathematical Literacy should be separated from Mathematics. • To investigate the possibility of introducing another level of Mathematics, namely Technical Mathematics. • To evaluate the ‘value add’ of Life Orientation and to determine whether Life Orientation should not be a non-examinable subject.

  7. TERMS OF REFERENCE • To compare the interim National Curriculum Statement Grades R – 10 and the new National Curriculum Statement Grades R -12 to be phased-in in January 2014;

  8. Overall Conclusions • Widespread public and professional concerns about the standard of the NSC. • Quality of NSC is improving, but requires ongoing attention. • NSC is not appropriate for all the purposes it is being made to serve – need for a vocational track. • Examination processes have improved but there are still concerns about the quality of several aspects of the process. • Well trained, fully professional teachers are key to the development of 21st century education system.

  9. Life Orientation

  10. Life Orientation • Life Orientation be removed from the promotion requirements for the NSC. • Grade 12 Life Orientation curriculum be reduced. • Retain only sections related to Physical Education and career counselling, in Grade 12, without being assessed. • Grade 12 sections on personal well-being and citizenship education being integrated into the Grade 10 and 11 curricula.

  11. Implications • Reduction to a six subject package • Reduces the work load on Grade 12 learners. • Additional time can now be devoted to Maths and Science. • Saving of 2 hours per week. • May result in LO not being taken seriously. Undermine the development of morals, values and attitudes • Re-packaging LO will overload the Grade 10 and 11 curriculum.

  12. Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT)

  13. Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) • The pass requirements for LOLT raised for all but the basic NSC: • Higher certificate: 40% • Diploma : 50% • Degree : 50% • Level of cognitive challenge must increase. Currently 40% of the assessment at Level 1 of cognitive challenge. • Maximum of 15% should be at Level 1 and that in combination Levels 1 and 2 should not exceed 30%.

  14. Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) • Examination practices in LoLT must be improved. - selection of NSC markers. - revision of rubrics for marking open ended questions. - international benchmarking evaluation used more effectively

  15. Implications • A focus on LoLT is supported and DBE has begun with the improvement initiative relating to Language across the curriculum • However, raising the pass requirements for LoLT and the cognitive demand – higher failure rate. • The increase to 50% from the current 30% is excessive. 40% may be more realistic. • Need for Teacher development programme for improved teacher proficiency. • Inconsistency – Home Language can be passed at 40% but LoLT must be passed at 50% (2nd or 3rd Lang of the majority of learners. • Weighting of three cognitive levels is in the extreme. This needs further consultation.

  16. Promotion Requirements

  17. Requirements for the Basic NSC • Pass 3 subjects at 40% including an official language at Home Language level; • Pass 2 subjects at 30%; and • May fail the 6th subject, provided there is full evidence of the SBA in that subject having been completed.

  18. Implications Basic NSC • Reduction to six subject package – could be perceived as a drop in NSC demand. • Basic NSC requirements unaltered (except for LO exclusion) – pass rate will be affected. • No change to the 30% requirement for this category of passes could be viewed by the public as a cosmetic change

  19. Higher Education Certificate • Pass 3 subjects at 40 % including LOLT; • Pass at least 2 further subjects at 35%; and • May fail the 6th subject, there is full evidence of the SBA in that subject having been completed.

  20. Implications • Reduction in offerings from seven to six subjects and the requirement to pass five of the six subjects. • Increase in the LOLT could place serious strain on teaching to enable learners to obtain the new promotion requirements. • Drop in the actual numbers attaining the Higher Certificate • Increase in the pass requirements of two subjects to 35%. No empirical basis provided for the increase to 35%.

  21. Diploma Studies • Pass LOLT at 50%; • Pass 4 further subjects at 40%; and • Pass 1 further subject at 35%.

  22. Implications • LOLT requirement, namely 50% will have a significant influence on attainment at this level. • Currently LoLT is 30%. • Candidates not allowed to fail one subject. • Increase in pass in the 6th subject to 35%.

  23. Bachelor Studies • Pass 4 subjects at 50%, including LOLT; • Pass 2 subjects at 40%. (If home language is not LOLT, it must be passed at 40 %.)

  24. Implications • LoLT raised to 50%, previously 30%. Therefore lower bachelor achievement. • Minimum pass requirement set at 40%, previously candidate could pass two subjects at 30%.

  25. Mathematics/Maths Lit • CAPS be implemented for the next eight to ten years without any further curriculum policy changes • The Mathematical Literacy curriculum be retained as in CAPS. • A national information awareness campaign about the value, place and role of Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy • Learners be required to take Mathematics with selected subjects

  26. Mathematics/Maths Lit • All schools be required to offer Mathematics and be enabled and adequately resourced to do so. • Maths be examined through three papers – linked to different career and study opportunities. • A different vocational/technical Mathematics closely aligned with vocational, artisanal and technical programmes and work contexts be developed.

  27. Implications • Subject pre-requisites related to Maths are being discussed at the HEDCOM sub-committees. • Reverting to three papers in Maths may create confusion in the system. • Separate reporting of Maths paper performance is useful but needs further consideration. • Technical Maths curriculum approved. Criticisms relating to the lack of a vocational and artisanal focus needs to be investigated

  28. Vocational Pathway • Vocational pathway be explored from grades 10 to 12. •  Introduce the NCV in technical high schools; •  Introduce a Grade 9 exit certificate; • Research the pathways available after Grade 9 in a changing post-school environment; • Recognition of Prior Learning into the mainstream of educational pathways;

  29. Implications • Vocational curriculum is being developed for Technical schools. • NCV will place severe resource demands on schools. • Grade 9 as an exit certificate is being explored by DBE. • RPL at the schooling level is a major challenge

  30. School Based Assessment • The implementation and moderation of SBA be thoroughly and regularly addressed during teacher development and training, and that the statistical moderation process of Umalusi be strengthened.

  31. Examination Related Processes • Test Design and Assembly • Test production • Test Administration • Scoring Test Responses • Passing scores • Reporting examination results - publication of results in the newspapers should be discontinued • Item banking • Examination technical report

  32. Standardisation • The status quo remain, although the time allocated to the standardisation processes must be increased so that the results can be effectively standardised.

  33. Home Languages and the Standard of African Languages • A thorough investigation into the standard and the nature of the assessment of the African languages at HL level. • An open discussion about the examination of African language papers from an assessment perspective. • Urgent attention be given to the issue of Grade 12 having adequate academic and literary resources for African languages and to the selection, dissemination and use of these resources. Standardisation of Language assessment is already being implemented

  34. Process to date • Report has been presented to the Minister by the Committee. • Report has been presented to sub-committees of HEDCOM. (b) Ministerial Committee Report together with draft response discussed at: - HEDCOM - CEM • Recommendations can be grouped into three categories: (i) Currently being implemented the DBE. (ii) To be implemented by the DBE in the short term. (iii) To be phased in over the long term

  35. Next Steps • The Minister supports the recommendations in the Ministerial Committee Report. • The recommendations are in sync with the trajectory that the Department envisages for the medium to long term improvements in the standard of the National Senior Certificate. • The Department has already commenced with the implementation of a few of these recommendations and others will be implemented in the short term/medium term.

  36. Next Steps (d) In the case of the recommendations that have more far reaching implications, the DBE is in the process of planning the policy and organisational changes that must precede such changes.

  37. Thank You

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