IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GETC EXAMINATION IN 2004

Issued by Department Of Education

4 March 2002

The Department of Education (DoE) has embarked on a developmental process towards the implementation of the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) at the end of Grade 9 in 2004.

As part of the Curriculum 2005 development and delivery process, the GETC could have been issued to Grade 9 pupils at the end of this year. But after a thorough appraisal and analysis of the system, including the results of the GETC pilot exercise, the Council of Education Ministers agreed in Cape Town on February 18 to defer the full implementation of the GETC until 2004.

The Council of Education Ministers agreed to establish a specialist Task Team to research and report on the value and purpose of the qualification, and the relationship between the curriculum and a qualification. The research would also consider the differences between a school-based GETC and one developed for adult learners.

For 2002, the following approach will apply to the assessment of Grade 9 learners:

• the use of school-based continuous assessment to generate 75% of the year mark;
• the use of the Common Tasks for Assessment for all Grade 9 learners, which will count for 25% of the total assessment, and serve as a moderating device;
• the use of the approved requirements for the progression of learners; and
• the issuing of a common, national report card, for promotion within the school system or for access to other institutions.

Copies of the guidelines for assessment of learners in Grade 9 this year have been sent to all schools, and are also are available from Mr E Williams at (012) 312 5514/29 (tel), (012) 323 5855 (fax) or on website http://education.pwv.gov.za