South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)RegulationsRegulations for the Conduct, Administration and Management of Assessment for the Senior Certificate, 2005Chapter 3 : Preparation for the examination process20. Registration of examination centres |
| (1) | All public schools must be audited by the section responsible for examinations and assessment in the provincial department of education, to ensure that the public school has the appropriate facilities to serve as an examination centre. |
| (2) | Private providers wishing to write the examination of a private assessment body must register with the private assessment body as an examination centre in accordance with the requirements of the private assessment body. |
| (3) | Private providers wishing to write the Senior Certificate examination of the provincial education department must apply for registration as a private examination centre in October of the year preceding the examination. |
| (4) | The assessment body must make available a prescribed form for application of the registration of a private examination centre. |
| (5) | Private providers writing the Senior Certificate examination of the provincial education department must complete a Service Contract with the provincial education department before 15 March of the year in which the examination is to be written. |
| (6) | A registered examination centre may not establish a subsidiary or satellite centre. |
| (7) | Prisons must register as examination centres, if examinations are conducted at the prison. |
| (8) | Private providers, including distance education providers, may request the provincial education departments to accommodate their private candidates for the examination, if need be. |
| (9) | The maximum number of candidates at an examination centre may not exceed 500, except with the approval of the Head of Department. |
| (10) | Private providers must comply with the following minimum criteria for registration of examination centres: |
| (a) | Registration of the centre as an educational institution; |
| (b) | Suitability of the venue to accommodate all candidates; |
| (c) | Security of the venue; |
| (d) | Compliance of the venue with the local health and fire services by-laws; |
| (e) | Sufficient lighting; |
| (f) | Availability of water and ablution facilities; |
| (g) | Availability of suitable educators who can be trained as invigilators; |
| (h) | Availability of a strong room for the safekeeping of assessment material; and |
| (i) | Availability of the necessary equipment and facilities required for the proper assessment of all learners with special needs who are registered at that particular centre. |
| (11) | The assessment body must issue a centre number if the application for registration is successful. |
| (12) | The assessment body must review the registration of private centres at least once in three years. |
| (13) | The Head of Department must de-register a private examination centre if the following occurs: |
| (a) | Physical relocation of the examination centre to another venue from the premises approved by the assessment body; |
| (b) | The centre’s officials and candidates commit serious irregularities in respect of the question papers before or during examinations; |
| (c) | Maladministration resulting in the disadvantage to candidates and an adverse effect on the centre’s ability to render effective services; |
| (d) | Officials of the examination centre not complying with the regulations and directives issued by the assessment body and Umalusi; or |
| (e) | Examination centre no longer complying with the criteria in subregulation (10). |
| (14) | The assessment body may take over the administration of the conduct of the examination at the private centre if, after an investigation, there is evidence that the examination may have been compromised. |