Question No. 1210
Dr JC Kloppers-Lourens (Democratic Alliance) to ask the Minster of Basic Education:
(1) Whether her department has a policy on the translation of exam question papers for the national senior certificate examinations; if not, why not; if so, (a) in which languages are each of the papers initially set, (b) who is responsible for the translation of each paper, (c) who ensures that all translations are correct and that certain learners are not prejudiced by insufficient translations and (d) what are the details of the process or procedure followed with the translations process;
(2) Whether language scrutinisers are in any way involved in the process; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) Who is responsible for proofreading the papers;
(4) Whether any examiners are given the opportunity to check the final products; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) Who is responsible for the final quality control and signing off of each of the papers?
Reply:
In response to your questions relating to the grade 12 2009 national senior certificate examinations, please take note of the following procedures followed in the setting, moderation and quality assurance of national question papers which will assist in contextualising the grade 12 national senior certificate examinations of 2009.
National question papers go through a stringent process of setting, moderation and quality assurance. Question papers are set by a panel of examiners comprising of a two to four subject experts. The question paper, accompanying memorandum together with all annexure or addendums and analysis grid are submitted for internal moderation.
An internal moderator who is recognised as a leader in the subject is brought in to thoroughly interrogate the paper to ensure that it is of the appropriate standard and of the highest quality.
Thereafter, the question paper is submitted to the external Quality Assurance Council, Umalusi, who engage the services of the top subject specialists in the country from Higher Education, Subject advisory services, practicing teachers, etc. who finally moderate the question paper based on agreed criteria.
Umalusi approves the paper and thereafter there is an intensive process of editing, quality control, proofreading and final approval of paper. It is a requirement that the final print ready copy is approved and signed off by the external moderator before the question paper is handed over for printing and distribution.
This process ensures that the question papers are of the highest quality and standard.
1. The setting, moderation and translation of question papers is addressed in the Regulations on the conduct, administration and management of the national senior certificate (NSC). In addition the heads of Education Department have approved the norms and standards for the handling of question papers, which also covers the translation of question papers.
(a) Question papers are set in English and thereafter translated into Afrikaans.
(b) Each panel of examiners is constituted in such a way that one examiner is proficient in Afrikaans.
It is preferred that translation is done by the examining panel to ensure that language registers and terminology peculiar to the subject are adequately and correctly translated.
In the rare case where none of the examiners or the internal moderator is able to do the translation, the translation may be done by the Language Editing unit of the Department of Basic Education.
(c) The translation that is done by the member of the examining panel is quality assured by the Department of Basic Education's language editors to ensure that there is correlation between the English and Afrikaans versions of the question paper.
2. Special language editors are appointed to check the language in the papers, after the paper has been edited, translated and moderated, so as to ensure that the language is pitched at the right level and also to ensure that the language accurately captures the essence of the question.
3. and 4. The final proof reading of each question papers is done by the chief examiner, internal moderator and external moderators who are required to sign a declaration indicating that they have proofread and are satisfied that the question paper, memoranda and all accompanying annexure are correct in every aspect, in terms of content and in terms of the technical aspects relating quality of question papers.
Therefore the final product is only handed over to provincial education departments for printing, after it has been approved by the chief examiner, internal moderator and external moderator.
5. The final quality control and signing off of each paper is the responsibility of the internal moderator (appointed by the Department of Basic Education) and the external moderator (appointed by Umalusi).
Issued by: Department of Basic Education
19 April 2010
Source: Department of Education (http://www.education.gov.za/)
