Report on the National Senior Certificate Examination Results 2010.

REPORT ON THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION RESULTS • 2010
FOREWORD BY THE MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
it is my pleasure to release this technical report on the third national
Senior Certificate (NSC) examination administered in the Republic
of South Africa. This report is significant in that it not only sums up
schooling over the last twelve years but it serves as a yardstick
of performance of the education system as whole . this report
symbolizes the turning point in education and i am convinced that
the class of 2010 reflects the gains achieved over the last few years.
the improvements in the quality of the results and with regard to the
increase in the percentage of passes in mathematics and Physical
science as well as the increase in the number of learners gaining
admission to University, sets us firmly on the trajectory towards the
attainment of our set specific objectives for the Action Plan to 2014
and broadly the vision for the basic Education sector as outlined in
the Schooling 2025 basic education sector plan .
The 2010 NSC examination results confirm the maturity and stability of the education system. It indicates
the confidence of curriculum specialists, teachers and education managers in preparing the learners for the
demands of the new curriculum . it is clear that teachers are becoming familiar with the methodologies of the
new curriculum and are making use of the expanded resources provided by the Department of Basic Education
to improve the level of educational attainment of our young people .
High quality question papers were set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and were quality assured
by umalusi and these have been considered to be comparable to esteemed international assessment bodies
in the world. Examiners have acquired the appropriate skills to design question papers of high standard, at a
language level that is accessible to learners, thus allowing learners to demonstrate their intellectual potential .
The preparatory work that commenced as far back as in 2006, with regard to the implementation of the new
curriculum is beginning to bear fruit. In this regard, a national examination was written by pilot schools in 2006.
In 2007, a national examination for grade 11 candidates was a milestone. Lessons learnt since the first and
second NSC examinations in 2008 and 2009 have stood the class of 2010 in good stead .
The 2010 academic year has witnessed an improvement in the conduct, management and administration of
the NSC examination. The DBE has followed a differentiated approach in the monitoring and support of the
provincial departments in the administration of the NSC examination. Provinces were directed in terms of their
areas of weakness and were given an opportunity to improve their systems and processes .
in the case of the mpumalanga department of Education, a ministerial intervention strategy to restore the
integrity of examinations in the province was carried out by the DBE in the management of the 2010 public
examinations and this has helped to restore confidence and enhanced the credibility of the national examination
and assessment system . the dbE will continue to focus its efforts on provinces and processes require support
in the coming year .
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