.

Umnyango WezemfundoLefapha la Thuto Department of EducationDepartement v

Circular 73 /2008
Date: 1 December 2008

Guidelines for the Formation and

Topic
Management of School Assessment
Irregularity Committees (SAICs)

Annexure A: Assessment irregularities that

occur during School Based
Enclosures Assessment
Annexure B1: Schedule A of sanctions against
learners
Annexure B2: Schedule B of sanctions against
educators and officials

Distribution
 Principals and Staff of all Ordinary Secondary
Schools
 Schools for Learners with Special Education
Needs and ABET Centres
 All Divisional Managers and Senior Managers
at Head Office and District Offices
 Members of School Governing Bodies
 Teacher Organisations and Unions
 Relevant Non-Governmental Organisations

Enquiries
Directorate: Examinations and Assessment
Tel: (011) 403 1314

On request, this circular will be made available in Afrikaans, isiZulu or Sepedi within 21 days
Also available on the GDE website at: www.education.gpg.gov.za

Office of the Head of Department

Room 1009, 111 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, 2001
PO Box 7710, Johannesburg, 2000
Tel: (011) 355 1511 Fax: (011) 333 5546 E-mail: ceogde@gpg.gov.za OR lend@gpg.gov.za
GUIDELINES FOR THE FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL
ASSESSMENT IRREGULARITY COMMITTEES AND THE MANAGEMENT OF
SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT IRREGULARITIES

1. PURPOSE

1.1 This circular deals with the establishment of School

Assessment Irregularity Committees hereafter referred to as the
(SAIC)

1.2 The objective of the establishment of the SAICs is :

1.2.1 to ensure that the conduct of the school-based assessment for the
different NSC subjects offered for study at Grade 12 level is valid, fair and
reliable.

1.2.2 to ensure that the marks and pieces of work submitted by learners are
authentic.

1.2.3 to ensure that the alleged irregularities are identified, investigated and
resolved at the first level of moderation, i.e. at school level.

1.3 For this reason each school must establish a School Assessment Irregularity
Committee. The roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders are
clearly outlined in this circular.

1.4 The identification, management and resolution of School Based

Assessment [SBA] irregularities is the responsibility of the school
principal, who is expected to resolve SBA irregularities in a formal and
documented manner with the assistance of the district as well as the
provincial department of education.

1.5 The guidelines in this circular should not be seen as replacing the
normal disciplinary actions of the school, but as dealing with those issues in
terms of the academic assessment of the learner.

1.6 Irregularities declared at the provincial moderation will be viewed as

serious acts of non-compliance by the school and the district and will be
dealt with as acts of misconduct.

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2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

2.1 The National Education Policy Act, 1996 [Act No 27 of 1996]

2.2 The South African Schools Act, 1996 [Act No 84 of 1996] as amended.
2.3 National Policy on the Conduct, Administration and Management of
Assessment of the National Senior Certificate: A Qualification at Level 4 on
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as published in Government
Gazette Volume 505, No. 30048 dated 6 July 2007.

2.4 An addendum to the policy document, The National Senior Certificate: A

qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),
regarding the National Protocol for Assessment (Grades R – 12), published
as Government Notice No. 1267 in the Government Gazette, Volume 498,
No. 29467 dated 11 December 2006.

2.5 An addendum to the policy document, The National Senior Certificate: A

qualification at Level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),
regarding learners with special needs, published as Government Notice No.
1266 in the Government Gazette, Volume 498, No. 29466 dated 11 th
December 2006.

2.6 The Employment of Educators’ Act 1998 [Act No. 76 of 1998].

2.7 The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act 2001
[Act No. 58 of 2001]

2.8 Regulations pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of

Assessment for the National Senior Certificate., Gazette 31337 dated 29 th
August 2008.

3. GUIDELINES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

IRREGULARITY COMMITTEES (SAICs)

3.1 PRINCIPAL PROCESS DRIVERS

Heads of the Institutions/Principals of Schools.

3.2 TIME FRAMES FOR ESTABLISHMENT

SAICs must be established immediately

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3.3 APPOINTMENT

All members of the SAIC will be appointed by the Head of Department or an official
delegated by the Head of Department.

3.4 COMPOSITION

3.4.1 The SAIC must comprise of the following members:

 The District Official serving the school (IDSO) should be the
chairperson of the SAIC
 The Principal of the school
 One member from the School Management Team (SMT)
 One member from the teaching staff who is not a member of the SMT.
 One member of the School Governing Body (SGB)
 One District Assessment Official nominated by the District Director will
serve as an ex-officio member of the SAIC.
 The following members will have observers status:
o One representative from each of the teacher unions recognised by the
ELRC
o The chairperson/representative of the School Governing Body

3.5 DURATION

The SAIC must be constituted every three years. All vacant posts must be
filled and approved by the District Director or his nominee.

3.6 JURISDICTION

The SAIC will have jurisdiction in any alleged internal assessment

irregularities relating to or occurring during the various stages of internal SBA
processes, which include:
 Compilation of SBA marks.
 Monitoring and moderation of SBA.
 Conditions under which educators conduct SBA.
 Conditions under which learners are internally assessed.

 Capturing and processing of data in respect of SBA.

 Setting and moderating of internal assessment of question papers
 Any other irregularity related to SBA.

3.7 ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS

The SAIC must:

 Work closely with examination officials based at the District Office in
respect of all internal assessment irregularities that could occur at all
stages
 Investigate all irregularities committed by educators in the internal
assessment process

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  Investigate all irregularities committed by any other person involved in
the internal assessment process
 Investigate all irregularities committed by learners during the internal
assessment process
 Investigate any other internal assessment irregularity as and when
requested by the District Director or his or her nominee
 Report all internal assessment irregularities to the PEIC

3.8 REPORTING

The SAIC must report all internal assessment irregularities, in writing, to the
Provincial Examination Irregularities Committee (PEIC), within seven days of
the alleged irregularity. In cases where an irregularity requires an
investigation, the initial reporting must be followed by a detailed report on
conclusion of the irregularity

4. RATIFICATION OF SANCTIONS IMPOSED

All decisions taken by the SAIC, relating to irregularities in the above stages
of the assessment process will be subject to final ratification by the Provincial
Examination Irregularities Committee (PEIC)

5. CONCLUSION

The management of SBA irregularities is the responsibility of the School

Assessment Team.

The above systems have been put in place to ensure that the school based
assessment can be declared valid, fair and reliable by the provincial
department of education as well as the external quality assurance body.

LEN DAVIDS
ACTING HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

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 ANNEXURE A
Circular 73/2008

ASSESSMENT IRREGULARITIES THAT OCCUR DURING THE INTERNAL

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Examination/Assessment Irregularities must be categorised as follows:

1. ADMINISTRATIVE IRREGULARITIES

1.1 On the part of Learners

A candidate who refuses to abide by any or all of the minimum requirements

in respect of the compilation of a mark for internal assessment in a subject,
with no valid reason. The SAIC must approve the validity of the reason
presented.

1.2 On the part of Educators

The assessment irregularities involving educators may include the following:

The teacher wilfully and intentionally, without a valid reason, fails to satisfy
the requirements or excludes one or more assessment tasks from the
compilation of the final assessment marks

2. BEHAVIOURAL OFFENCES

2.1 On the part of Learners

A candidate, who, in respect of a component of a mark for Internal

Assessment that is completed under controlled conditions, does the following:
 Creates a disturbance, intimidates others, or behaves in an improper or
unseemly manner despite a warning
 Is drunk or behaves in a disorderly manner
 Disregards the arrangements or reasonable instructions of the educator
despite a warning; or
 Continues to disregard assessment regulations despite a warning

2.2 On the part of Educators

The assessment irregularities involving educators may include the following:

 The teacher wilfully and intentionally, without a valid reason, fails to satisfy
the requirements or excludes one or more assessment tasks from the
compilation of the final assessment marks.

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3. ACTS OF DISHONESTY

3.1 On the part of Learners

A learner who presents work that is not his or her original work. This may take
various forms and may include the following:
 Copying verbatim from another source. In this case, if the teacher is
suspicious and has evidence that sections of or the complete assignment
or project has been lifted verbatim from another source.
 An assignment/project that is not his or her own effort. This may have
been completed by another learner, his or her parent, or acquired from
another source
 Reproduction of an assignment or project from another learner and there
is evidence of such copying
 Work that has been previously presented and for which credits were
received, which could either be his or her own effort or that of another
individual
 The whole or part of a portfolio that is not his or her own but that of
another learner from the same learning institution or from another
school/learning institution and
 A candidate who resorts to any dishonest act to mislead the educator in
terms of the authenticity or originality of the portfolio presented

3.2 On the part of Educators

The assessment irregularities involving educators may include the following:

 The teacher alters, in other words, decreases or increases the marks of
candidates without the approval of the Internal Moderator or head of the
institution
 The teacher wilfully provides assistance to a learner that advantages a
learner unfairly in comparison to other learners and
 The teacher collaborates with a candidate who presents the whole or part
of the portfolio that is not his or her own work.

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 ANNEXURE B1
Circular 73/2008

POSSIBLE IRREGULARITIES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW TO RESOLVE IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING LEARNERS

NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES SANCTIONS
01 Candidate caught If the candidate is found guilty the candidate
copying or obtaining must be awarded a ZERO for that component
help from a fellow of the SBA
candidate
The guilty parties must face disciplinary action
as deemed necessary, according to the
school’s code of conduct.

If there is evidence of collusion, the candidate

offering the assistance must also be
sanctioned by giving him/her a letter of
warning.

02 Evidence of two or An investigation should be conducted to Candidates may face disciplinary action, as
more candidates determine how this was possible as the final deemed necessary, according to the school’s
presenting pieces of SBA must be completed in class, code of conduct.
similar/identical under controlled conditions
pieces of work for
assessment. The educator must re-assess the learners If the candidate is found guilty the candidate
work must be awarded a ZERO for that component
of the SBA

03 Missing components If the candidate did not submit a piece of

of SBA SBA for a valid reason, then the candidate
must be given another opportunity to
complete and submit the task for
assessment.
If the candidate is not able to complete an
assessment task for a valid reason, that task

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POSSIBLE IRREGULARITIES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW TO RESOLVE IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING LEARNERS
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES SANCTIONS
may be excluded from the portfolio and the
marks for that section should not be taken
into consideration.

The educator must have documented

evidence of extended opportunities given to
a candidate to submit any component of
SBA.

04 Candidates’ answers The School Assessment Team (SAT) must If it can be proven that the learners had
are identical to, or investigate how learners came to be in obtained memos from any source other than
similar to the marking possession of the memorandum. the educator the candidate must be awarded
memorandum. a ZERO for that component of the SBA

05 Work not dated. The educator must insist on the work being
dated before the task is assessed.

Failure to record the date should be treated

as an act of non-compliance.

06 Declaration of The marks attained for the entire portfolio of

authenticity not evidence must be withheld until the
signed by learner. declaration is completed and submitted with
the portfolio of evidence.
(Can only be declared
during final
moderation of learner
portfolios).

07 Plagiarism The learner must be given a letter of warning

that if there is a recurrence of this nature
he/she may be barred from writing the exams.

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POSSIBLE IRREGULARITIES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW TO RESOLVE IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING LEARNERS
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES SANCTIONS

The learner may face disciplinary action,

according to the code of conduct of the
school.

A ZERO MARK must be awarded for the

relevant task or section.

08 Different handwriting The SAT must establish to whom the For the pieces of work that do not belong to
in one learner’s different handwriting belongs. the learner A ZERO MARK must be awarded.
portfolio.

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 ANNEXURE B2
Circular 73/2008

IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
01 Unlawful assistance by The task for that component of the SBA If there is evidence that the educator had
Educators to learners must be declared NULL AND VOID colluded with learners, then the educator
must be charged in terms of the Employment
The candidate must be given another of Educators Act
opportunity to complete the task under
supervision.

02 The incorrect It may be possible to award a zero mark for

awarding of a zero [0] a component of SBA.
mark for SBA
If this is the case, the educator must show
intervention and involvement at the following
levels:
 School Subject HOD
 School Assessment Team
 Parental Involvement
 SGB involvement

Only if documented proof at the various

intervention stages is available can the
learner be awarded a zero [0] mark.

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
03 No school-based All tasks must be moderated If the SAT does not find evidence of
moderation moderation the educators may be charged for
The moderation must be dated and not complying with the requirements for
completed in black ink internal assessment
Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
of Educators Act must be taken against
repeating offenders.

04 No cluster based The SAT must establish why the educator The educator may be given a warning by the
moderation did not attend the cluster meeting. District Director for not attending a cluster
meeting.
The school may seek the involvement of the
district so that the cluster leader’s feedback
forms to the district may be interrogated to
establish the educator’s attendance at
cluster meetings.

The SAT must inform the district subject

facilitator, in writing, that the evidence of
cluster moderation has not been complied
with. The district subject facilitator must
ensure that the moderation is done.

05 The assessment task/s The school subject HOD/SAT must ask for Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
in the learner portfolios the full complement of learner portfolios for of Educators Act will be taken against the
is/are not marked, school based moderation. educator.

This will ensure that the all tasks are marked

by the educator and that the educator is
adhering to his/her assessment plan.

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
The SAT/school subject HOD may write a
report on the findings and recommendations
to support the educator in meeting all the
requirements for SBA.

Due dates for the marking of tasks must be

given to the educator and follow up support
and intervention should be provided by the
SAT and school subject HOD.

The SAT/school subject HOD must

moderate 10% of the portfolios.

06 Incorrect computation The SAT must ensure that the correct If this is only discovered up at the provincial
of marks/transfer of assessment tools and SAGs are being used moderation, then the school principal will face
marks/no correlation by all educators at the school. disciplinary action in terms of the Employment
between working mark of Educators Act
sheet and The use of the correct assessment tools is
computerised mark the responsibility of the relevant Head of The school principal is accountable for the
sheet/no evidence to Department and SAT. correctness of all marks submitted for
support marks in capturing and may be charged for submitting
learner The district subject facilitators, via the incorrect/fraudulent marks.
portfolios/difficulty in cluster leader/school visits, ensure that the
understanding how the correct assessment tools are used by the SBA marks may be declared NULL AND
final mark was school. VOID until authentic marks supported by
calculated. Once discovered, the educator and school evidence of tasks are submitted to the district
subject HOD, with the assistance of the assessment official
cluster leader/district subject facilitator must
correct errors and submit the corrected mark
sheets to the district for confirmation of
compliance.

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS

07 No working mark The educator must be given a time frame The educator must be warned that without
sheet/ within which to comply and re-submit these these documents, moderation cannot take
memos/assessment documents so that moderation may take place (school/cluster/provincial)
tools, etc in the place.
educator’s portfolio. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary
steps taken in terms of the Employment of
Educators Act.
08 The computerised The Principal and SAT must be held
mark sheet is filled in accountable for these errors.
incorrectly
Twinning and checking of mark sheets must
be managed by the SAT.
09 The computerised The computerised mark sheets must be Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
mark sheet was not submitted immediately of Educators Act will be taken against the
submitted to the Principal
district

10 The use of the The SBA for that subject at the school may Disciplinary steps will be taken against the
incorrect assessment be declared null and void. school subject HOD and Principal in terms of
guidelines the Employment of Educators Act
The correct assessment tasks must be
given and assessed.

The SAT must ensure that every educator

has the SAGs for every subject he/she is
teaching.

11 The annexures as The relevant annexure must be filled in and Disciplinary steps will be taken against the
contained in the included in the relevant portfolios. Educator in terms of the Employment of
relevant circulars are Educators Act

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
not completed and Cluster and district support must be offered
filed in the to school so that full compliance may be
learner/educator achieved.
portfolios.

12 Tasks/Tests not of the The SAT must ensure that pre-moderation

required standard of tasks take place. This can be done by
the School Subject HOD/cluster leader/
district subject facilitator.

The pre-moderation must be signed and

dated.

The assessment for that task must be

declared NULL AND VOID and a new task
that complies with provincial standards must
be set and administered.

13 Superficial The tasks must be re-moderated by The School Subject HOD/SAT must be held
school/cluster cluster/district. accountable for the effective moderation of
moderation the tasks.

14 The full complement of The portfolios are the property of the GDE The school principal will be held accountable
portfolios is not and must be available at the school at any for all the portfolios.
available at the school given time.
at any given time.
The learners may be requested to compile
portfolios from scratch if the requested
portfolios cannot be accounted for.

Under no circumstances must the entire

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
portfolio of a learner be taken home. All
final SBA assessment must be done at
school under controlled conditions.

15 Aspects of The educator should be held accountable Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
assessment tasks are for providing the evidence of assessment of Educators Act will be taken against the
not in learner portfolios tasks and may be held accountable for educator
but a mark has been providing fraudulent marks.
awarded.
The marks must be declared NULL AND
VOID
The learner should be given another
opportunity to complete the required tasks.

These tasks must be handed to the SAT

who will ensure that it is moderated.

16 No dates in The educator and School Subject HOD must The SAT is responsible for ensuring that this
learner/educator be held accountable for this omission. aspect of compliance is adhered to.
portfolios
The dates reflected in the assessment plan
must correlate with the dates recorded in the
assessment tasks.

17 The submission of The required portfolios must be sent to the Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
portfolios that were not district subject facilitator and the district of Educators Act will be taken against the
selected. [provincial assessment official for verification that the principal
moderation] requested portfolios meet the full
requirements for SBA.

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IRREGULARITIES INVOLVING EDUCATORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
NO IRREGULARITY CORRECTIVE MEASURES ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST
EDUCATORS
18 Marks are inflated The learners’ marks must be adjusted in
consultation with the educator, School
Subject HOD, cluster leader and district
assessment official.

If consensus cannot be reached, the matter

may be referred to the District facilitators.

The educator/School Subject HOD must be

supported and developed on how to use the
approved assessment tools.

19 All learners are The marks for this section must be declared Disciplinary steps in terms of the Employment
awarded the same null and void. of Educators Act will be taken against the
mark or fabricated educator
marks for a component The work must be re-assessed
of the SBA

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