1.  Introduction to the National Senior Certificate

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) is a qualification pegged at level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework.  This qualification is based on the new National Curriculum Statement (NCS) that was first introduced in Grade 10 in 2006.  The class of 2008 is thus the first cohort of learners who have completed the three-year NSC programme.

To qualify for admission to Grade 12, learners must have successfully completed their Grade 11 examinations and school-based assessment. The National Curriculum Statement promotes the principles of appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes and values.

2.  Subject Combinations and School-Based Assessment

To qualify for a National Senior Certificate, all learners must offer SEVEN approved subjects (two languages, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, Life Orientation and a choice of three other subjects) and provide full evidence of school-based assessment (SBA) in each of the seven subjects. Life Orientation, which is a compulsory subject, is the only subject that is internally assessed throughout the year and has no formal examination at the end of the year. School-based assessment in each of the six subjects, besides Life Orientation, constitutes 25% of the final examination marks.

Where a candidate does not fulfil the requirements of school-based assessment, the candidate will not receive a result at the end of the year in the affected subject/subjects. Candidates will however be given an opportunity until 15 March the following year to submit their completed portfolios which will be assessed. School-based assessment marks are valid for three years.

3.  Obtaining a National Senior Certificate

To obtain a NSC, a candidate must achieve 40% or more in a Home Language and in two other subjects. The candidate must also achieve at least 30% in the three other subjects. However, it must be emphasized that there are further minimum requirements for admission to Higher Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor's Degree programmes: detailed information is available here (Circular 33 of 2008).

4.  Writing the Supplementary Examinations

If a candidate has not satisfied the minimum pass requirements in the final external examination but requires a maximum of two subjects to obtain the National Senior Certificate, the candidate may register for a maximum of two subjects for the Supplementary examination within 21 days after the release of results. These two subjects must be the subjects that the candidate sat for in the previous end-of-year examination. The Supplementary Examinations for the NSC will be written in February and March each year.

If a candidate was medically unfit and as a result absent from one or more examinations, the candidate may register for the Supplementary Examination providing that the evidence (letter from a registered medical practitioner and other supporting documents) relating to the illness is submitted together with the application.

5.  Release of Examination Results

It is envisaged that the Grade 12 examination results will be officially released at the Examination Centre on 30 December 2008 at 12:00. Candidates are encouraged to collect their results from the examination centre where the examinations were written. Should candidates suspect an error or omission in their results, they must alert the school principal who must immediately make contact with the Department at 021-467-2300.

6.  Format of the Examination Results

Each candidate will receive a Statement of Subject results, which indicates the subjects written by the candidate, the actual percentage together with the achievement level obtained by the candidate. For example, if a candidate obtains 68% in a subject, the applicable achievement level will be a 5, which indicates "substantial achievement".

The following 7-point scale will be used in the Statement of Results to describe the level of achievement obtained by a candidate in each of the seven or more subjects:

The Statement of Results will also indicate whether the candidate has obtained a NSC or a NSC for admission to Higher Certificate, Diploma or Bachelors Degree programmes (see paragraph 3 above).