19 January 2009
This is an update to the release of matric results done on 30 December 2008,
at Thembeka High. At the time we reported 9 000 cases outstanding to Mpumalanga
matric results.
Currently, there are only 2 589 learners with results still pending and both
national and Mpumalanga Provincial departments are working tirelessly around
the clock to finalise the process. The Mpumalanga department wants to assure
all schools, parents and learners that their pending results will be finalised
by 26 January 2009.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education conducted the 2008 examination from
29 October to 3 December 2008. Grade 12 learners sat in 528 examination centres
to write the National Curriculum Statement Examinations.
The capturing of the results on the Integrated Examination Computer System
(IECS) commenced on 11 November 2008, with the capturing of the school based
assessment marks (SBA). Capturing for resulting commenced on 3 December 2008.
Standardisation took place on 15 December 2008. Results were released on 30
December 2008.
The Integrated Examinations Computerised System, the IECS, was developed and
used for the first time during the 2008 Grade 12 examinations. The results of 4
1603 learners were released on 30 December 2008.
The IECS is a web based computerised system used nationally to capture
learner marks and result them. The national Department of Education implemented
this system and developed it simultaneously during the 2008 Grade 12
examination.
The system proved to be extremely challenging. On 30 December 2008, the
national date for the release of grade 12 results, 56 000 learners nationally
did not receive their results, and 9 000 of these learners were from
Mpumalanga.
The delay was mainly due to a number of systemic problems experienced by the
province such as:
a. Conflicting reports: Centre number 547512-4 SBA indicates that no marks
have been captured, but the status of mark sheet reflects captured and
verified.
b. Errors/malfunctioning of the document trail system e.g. captured (status
verified but changed by one person).
c. Wrong calculations: Life Orientation results calculated out of 500 instead
of 400.
d. Duplicate registration: If a learner has more than one name, he or she is
registered more than once on the system. The net effect was that of learners
with more than one examination number.
e. Omissions: Some learners did not appear at all on mark sheets.
f. Wrong subject allocations: Subject allocations were wrong for
learners.
g. Technical faults: On 29 December 2008 the province discovered 245 mark
sheets captured but hanging in the system.
h. Managing Hand written mark sheets posed a major challenge as the processes
to create computerised mark sheets is a very long one.
i. Outstanding marks: The IECS system rejects a mark sheet if marks for one
learner are outstanding.
j. Failure to result legitimate learners: In some cases the results of a
learner are captured and verified but the system fails to result the learner.
Some learners are not resulted although all marks have been captured and
verified.
k. Learner identification systems: The system uses the examination number as a
point of reference and not the identity document (ID) number where learners
share the same names, making it difficult to identify them.
l. Turnaround times: Mark sheets that indicated errors could only be fixed by
29 December 2008 by the system developers. The computer operators need to go
through many steps to create mark sheets. This is extremely time-consuming. If
no centre number is displayed on the mark sheet it is a very long process to
find the candidate.
m. Insufficient report options: The system cannot put all the marks of one
centre in one document. This makes it difficult to control what is
outstanding.
n. Problem of zero marks: Reports of learners with outstanding marks only
reflects those with a 777 captured and not those learners with no marks at
all.
o. Incomplete results: It was discovered that centre number 6242301 was
indicating incomplete results.
The national Department of Education will set up a Task Team to visit
provinces and investigate all systemic problems experienced with implementation
of the IECS.
Supplementary examinations
The department will, from 17 February until 25 March 2009, conduct
supplementary examinations for the following categories of candidates who sat
for the 2008 National Curriculum Statement Examinations:
* Candidates who have not met the minimum promotion and certification
requirements for the National Senior Certificate may write supplementary
examinations in a maximum of two subjects. These must be subjects for which
candidates sat in the 2008 October/November examination.
* Candidates who were absent from one or more external examinations (in
October/November 2008) because they were medically unfit may register for the
supplementary examination in all subjects missed. (Documentary proof is
required in such instances.)
* Candidates who were absent from one or more external examinations (in
October/November 2008) because of a death in their immediate family or other
special reasons may register for the supplementary examination in all subjects
missed. (Documentary proof is required in such instances.)
* A candidate who has one requirement short in meeting the minimum admission
requirement for higher certificate, diploma and bachelors' degree
programmes
* Candidates who provide evidence that they qualify for admission to higher
education institutions or for an occupation BUT do not satisfy the higher
education faculty requirements or for a specific occupation may be allowed to
register for a maximum of two subjects in an effort to improve their results.
(Documentary proof of faculty or occupation requirements is required.)
* In cases where an irregularity is being investigated, a candidate may be
granted provisional enrolment for the supplementary examination for a maximum
of two subjects pending the outcome of the investigation.
Under all of the above-mentioned categories the grade 12 year marks for 2008
will be used to satisfy the internal assessment requirements (CASS).
Provisional entry may be granted to candidates with incomplete results in a
maximum of two subjects.
Procedure for applications
* Application for supplementary examinations is applied at the schools.
* Candidates must get supplementary entry forms from their schools.
* They must register and leave entry forms at school.
* The school will send them to Circuit offices on or before 23 January
2009
* The closing date is 23 January 2009.
All candidates who wish to repeat grade 12 National Senior Certificate will
write in October/November 2009. Such candidates must register for the
examinations on or before 15 March 2009.
Enquiries can be directed to:
Mr JI Zwane
Communications Directorate: Department of Education
Cell: 083 743 1804
Issued by: Department of Education, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
19 January 2009
