Grade 11 pupils will write a nationally set end-of-year examination in 2007 to prepare them for the new National Senior Certificate (matric) exams to be introduced in 2008, the Department of Education said on Tuesday.
Schools have already received a national examination for Grade 10 pupils this year, but it will only be used as example for teachers to set exams.
The deputy director general of education, Penny Vinjevold, told reporters in Pretoria that the reason for this once-off national exam for Grade 11s is to prepare them for what is promised to be a ”much more demanding” matric exam.
”These exams are going to be cognitively much more demanding … we are looking at much tougher and demanding exams in future,” said Vinjevold.
This comes after reports that many Grade 10 pupils failed their mid-year-exams this year. The failure is blamed on the introduction of the new curriculum — the National Curriculum Statement — that will culminate in the new National Senior Certificate exams in 2008.
”The change is not the problem. The curriculum is more demanding. It demands extensive reading and extensive writing and all learners must study some form of mathematics,” read a document distributed at Wednesday’s press conference.
Vinjevold said that as part of the preparation pupils will receive more teaching with an increase in winter schools, more time in the classroom and more media support. There will also be increased training of teachers.
”In 2007 we want to see every classroom having a teacher and learners receiving at least one book for every subject.”
As part of the new curriculum, children will have to take seven subjects in Grade 10. This will include a home language, an extra language, mathematics or mathematical literacy and life orientation.
The pupils will receive a coded mark with seven being outstanding — or equivalent to the old 80% to 100% — and one being a failure or ”not achieved”, equivalent to the old 0% to 29%.
Vinjevold shrugged off suggestions that the 30% passing rate will be lowering standards.
”We think we have upped the standards with seven instead of six subjects, a more demanding curriculum and pupils who now have to pass six of their seven subjects, where in the past they could not pass several subjects and still go on the next grade on their average mark,” she said.
She added that school is going to get tougher, which is what parents, employers and territory institutions demand. — Sapa