NYAKALLO TEFU
UMALUSI says that matric exams will go ahead as planned and that matric papers have already been set, and will not be scaled down despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus induced national lockdown.
Over 1.2 million Grade 12 learners are expected to sit for their exams in November.
The combined June and November examination will commence officially on Thursday, 5 November and terminate on Tuesday, 15 December 2020.
Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, announced on Monday its state of readiness for the monitoring, distribution and marking of the 2020 National Senior Certificate exams.
The council’s chief executive officer (CEO) Mafu Rakometsi said Umalusi will conduct external moderation of question papers set by the assessment bodies to ensure that the question papers and their marking guidelines are of a required standard.
“All question papers to be used cover the curriculum as prescribed and approved in 2019,” said Rakometsi.
Rakometsi said accounting and business studies question papers, which will consist of two question papers each for the first time in 2020, have also been set.
He said the council undertook the ‘state of readiness’ process to gauge the assessment body’s level of preparedness to conduct, administer and manage credible national examinations prior to the commencement of such examinations.
Rakometsi said an adopted risk management approach will be applied where audits will be carried out in the main remotely.
“Each of the nine Provincial Departments of Education will be required to submit valid evidence for each of the pre-determined key indicators that address the appropriate state of readiness focus areas,” said Rakometsi.
Final exams will also put pressure on markers because those that are re-writing their matric exams will also be part of the group writing their finals this year.
Umalusi said it will ensure markers are fully qualified for the task ahead.
The council said it will also verify the conduct of marking.
“External moderators will be deployed to marking centres identified by assessment bodies across the country,” said Rakometsi.
“Moderators will spend approximately three days per question paper in a marking centre.”
The council said it will ensure that all COVID-19 regulations and protocols are followed to ensure the safety of staff and learners.
(COMPILED BY INSIDE EDUCATION STAFF)
