IEB National Senior Certificate 2010
In 2010, 8285 learners from 172 schools across the country (including the Abitur-NSC candidates) wrote the IEB National Senior Certificate examination. 153 more learners wrote the IEB examination in 2010 than in 2009. 98.38% passed the examination as a whole, a slight increase of just on 1% from 2009. All of these candidates achieved a pass that is good enough to enter tertiary study at one of the three levels. 81.53% of the cohort achieved entry to degree study, a 2% increase from last year while 14.45% qualified for entry to diploma study. 2.4% achieved entry for study at the Higher Certificate level.
The IEB continues to encourage the development of mathematical competence among learners at its schools. Since the inception of the NSC in 2008, participation in Mathematics Paper 3 at the IEB has increased by 68,5% from 1414 candidates in 2008 to 2383 candidates in 2010. This represents 41% of IEB Mathematics learners and almost 30% of all IEB learners.
"The IEB is proud of the achievements of learners in the schools that write the National Senior Certificate through the IEB. These performances reflect the dedication of the teachers to the very important work they do, of inspiring learners and ensuring they have the fundamental knowledge and have mastered the key concepts required in each discipline to ensure future success. They reflect too the amount of work that learners have done to ensure that they know and understand the important aspects of the subjects they have studied. Their education, as reflected in their results, ensures them of a successful future in their selected area of study or occupation," says Anne Oberholzer, Chief Executive Officer of the IEB.
This year the IEB in conjunction with the Zenex Foundation, the Anglo-American Chairman's Fund and the University of Pretoria, initiated and oversaw the benchmarking study of the National Senior Certificate undertaken by UK NARIC, the United Kingdom's National Agency responsible for providing information and advice about vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from all over the world.
"From that study we have been reassured that the NSC is a qualification with an underlying level that is both robust and fit for the purposes of examining senior secondary school levels. In terms of the qualification's comparability, the report concludes that the National Senior Certificate at Grade 12 is broadly comparable to the GCE Advanced Subsidiary (i.e. AS-level). This conclusion was supported by a similar study carried out by Umalusi in 2010," explains Oberholzer. 2010 also marked 21 years of the existence of the IEB.
The IEB continues to work closely with the state education system as it recognises the importance of broader collaboration in education in our country. The IEB has run the assessment process across State and IEB schools in two new subjects recognised for the National Senior Certificate. Modern Greek was introduced in 2009 when 41 students offered the subject. It has been offered by 43 learners this year. In addition to being recognised for the NSC, Modern Greek is also considered a designated subject, and hence contributes towards recognition for degree study at university. Sports and Exercise Science was written for the first time this year by 41 learners from both State and IEB schools.
Oberholzer adds: "One of the IEB's key objectives is to ensure that South African learners are able to hold their own in an international setting, especially at the highest level. Hence the IEB has developed the curriculum for and offers assessment for the Advanced Programme: Mathematics (APM). The UK NARIC evaluation is satisfied that the additional content in AP Mathematics is more reflective of the requirements of GCE A level Mathematics. This programme is quality assured by Umalusi and certified by the IEB. Since its inception in 2008, numbers of students participating in the assessment have risen from 761 to 1067, a 40% growth in numbers. At this stage, more than a third of IEB schools offer AP Mathematics. The IEB will be piloting an Advanced Programme for English Home Language along similar lines, in 2011 for full implementation in 2012. As with AP Mathematics, both state and independent schools will be able to participate in this programme."
The Combined Abitur-NSC is a qualification offered by the German Schools in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria. The qualification consists of five subjects assessed by the IEB and seven subjects assessed by the German Education authorities. Through this government-to-government agreement, successful learners in the Combined Abitur-NSC are recognised by German education authorities for entry to German universities and by the South African education authorities for entry to South African universities. Of the 76 candidates who offered this qualification, 74 passed with entry to tertiary study. "The IEB is honoured to have been appointed the assessment authority responsible for the assessment of the NSC subjects in this unique qualification.
"Our country's motto, "Strength in Diversity", is significant as it captures the fact that we are a country of extremes. In such an environment, we need collaboration between the key educational institutions throughout the country in order to offer our learning community as broad a choice of learning opportunities as we are able. The IEB will continue to play its part in meeting this challenge," concludes Oberholzer.
About the IEB
The IEB is an independent assessment agency separate from State and Provincial examination boards operating within the constraints of national legislation and provisions of the national quality assurance body, Umalusi. Umalusi has granted the IEB accreditation for the assessment of the National Senior Certificate. The IEB offers examinations for client schools at the Grade 12 level, in line with national policy, based on the National Curriculum Statements and using various forms of assessment, including final summative examination and continuous assessment - i.e. orals, practicals and portfolios. The School Section acts in accordance with Umalusi prescriptions and the provisions of Higher Education, using professional educationalists who are practising teachers in various subject disciplines. These teachers are active members of IEB Subject User Groups which engage with the curriculum and make recommendations on assessment practice based on real school experience.
Statement issued by Teresa Settas Communications On behalf of Anne Oberholzer of the IEB, January 4 2010
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