South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)National Policy on Assessment and Qualifications for Schools in the General Education and Training BandPart 1 : Introduction |
| 1) | This policy provides a framework for assessment and qualifications for all public and private schools¹ and community-based sites with learners registered in the General Education and Training (GET) band. It consolidates assessment provisions contained in the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) (NCS) and should therefore be read together with the NCS. |
| 2) | This policy repeals the Assessment Policy in the General Education and Training Band, Grade R-9 and ABET of 1998 and the Framework for the Assessment and Promotion of Learners in Grade 9 Interim Policy, 2003. It integrates and consolidates recording and reporting provisions that are contained in the National Protocol on Assessment, 2005. |
| 3) | The General Education and Training band serves to provide learners with a broad foundation of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that enables them to access Further Education and Training programmes that reflect their emerging areas of interest, takes cognisance of leanings towards broad career fields, and allows them to participate in society through age-appropriate social, emotional, physical, ethical and cognitive behaviour. |
| 4) | The National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades R-9 (Schools), 2002, sets out the minimum knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that must be achieved in Grades R-9. The NCS for Grades R-9 consists of eight Learning Areas. These eight Learning Areas are compulsory for all learners who are in the schooling system, as this ensures a balanced curriculum and prevents the omission or neglect of any particular Learning Area by learners, teachers or schools. They are: Languages, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts and Culture, Life Orientation, Economic and Management Sciences, and Technology. |
| 5) | Learners must offer at least one (1) official language (including South African Sign Language) in Grades 1 and 2 and at least two (2) official languages from Grade 3 onwards. At least one of these should be offered at the Home Language level. One of the two languages offered must be the language of learning and teaching (LoLT), at least at First Additional Language level. A learner may offer further approved² languages, either official or foreign, in addition to the compulsory official language offerings. |
| ¹ | "School" refers to any public or private institution registered with the Department of Education to deliver a programme of learning registered on the NQF. |
| ² | "Approved language" refers to a language that has an approved Curriculum Statement. |