Western Cape schools now have the option of giving their Grade 10 and 11 learners more examination practice at the end of this year. This is to build up exam writing muscle that was lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson of the Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier, said a memo was sent to schools on Monday 12 September advising them of this option to help learners get #BackOnTrack.
She explained the memo gave schools the option of adapting the end-of-year assessment to an examination format, where a greater variety of questions could be asked, allowing for more in-depth testing and practice in answering under examination-controlled conditions.
“For the past two years Grade 10 and 11 learners have not written full-scale exams. The amended Programme of Assessment was designed to allow for more teaching and learning time in response to the time lost during disruption during the Covid-19 pandemic, and proposed one two-hour controlled test per content subject as per the end-of-year assessment.”
As a consequence, Mauchline adds that learners have not been getting enough examination practice.
“We cannot simply wait until matric to help these learners get #BackOnTrack – the work starts in earlier grades to ensure that they are in the best possible position to succeed in their National Senior Certificate exams.”
She says the memo does not change the weighting of the test, nor the content to be covered, to ensure it is a fair assessment.
“Schools that wish to take this option up to adapt the format of the end-of-year assessment must apply to their district office for approval before the end of the third term.”
The Western Cape Education Department is also launching a #BackOnTrack communications campaign that reaches out to parents as they play such a big role in supporting their children’s learning.
Parents can visit our ePortal (https://wcedeportal.co.za/) for a range of resources to guide and support them.
“Let us all work together to reverse the learning losses caused by the pandemic, and to make sure our children get #BackOnTrack!”
