Question to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology - NW595

04 April 2017 - NW595

Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training

(1)(a) What are the minimum requirements to qualify as (i) examiners and (ii) markers of examination papers for the (aa) National Certificate: Vocational and (bb) NATED/Report 191 examinations, (b) what is the total number of (i) examiners and (ii) markers who served in the November 2016 examinations and (c) what is the total number that has been paid to date; (2) has his department introduced any measures to determine that examiners and markers possess the minimum subject knowledge needed to ensure that correct answers, even if not covered by the official memoranda, are given the credit it deserves; if not, what plans does his department have to ensure that a minimum level of subject knowledge is required of examiners in the future; if so, what are the details; (3) whether any payments to examiners and markers of previous examination cycles are still outstanding; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

Source
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Reply:

1. (a) The minimum requirements to qualify as examiners and moderators are furnished in Chapter 4, Clause 4.4 (4.4.3 (c) (i – x) of the policy on the conduct of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) examinations Government Gazette No. 22760 of 26 October 2001. On page 22 of the above-mentioned policy document, the following requirements are stated:

A recognised three-year post matric qualification that should include the subject concerned at second- or third-year level;
Preference should be given to serving school- and college-based educators;
Experience as a Marker, Examiner or Moderator;
Experience in subject committee work and/or contributions towards curriculum development;
Motivation by the Principal or Management Forum of the college; and
Appropriate teaching experience, including teaching experience at the appropriate level, in the subject concerned.

(b) (i) The total number of examiners appointed for the November 2016 examinations are as follows:

NC (V): 296 examiners
NATED/Report 191: 183 examiners

(ii) The total number of markers appointed for the November 2016 examinations are as follows:

NC (V): 1 091 markers
NATED/Report 191: 5 158 markers.

NATED/Report 191 Examiners: All the claims have been processed and payment is being effected.

NC(V) Markers: All markers have been paid.

NATED/Report 191 Markers: 5 238 Claims have been paid and 21 claims are still being processed because relevant documentation was outstanding and have since been submitted. The remaining 21 claims will be processed for payment by 24 March 2017. The reason for the number of claims exceeding the number of markers is because a marker is allowed to mark more than one question paper.

2. When the Department did not receive sufficient qualifying applications, it re-advertised all the positions of examiners and moderators for the 2016/17 cycle. The process of appointment is determined by the Department of Public Service and Administration. The examiners and moderators were trained on the processes and procedures of setting quality question papers and marking guidelines. The training also included the use of the four elements of item demand, i.e. content, expected responses, stimulus and task, which are used to generate high quality questions. It is this ongoing training that ensures examiners and moderators are well capacitated.

Appointed markers undergo vigorous training prior to marking. The following procedures are followed:

Markers are required to arrive at the marking session with their own answered marking guideline.
Each marker within the panel is required to do pre-marking of scripts for their respective subject.
The official marking guideline is discussed under the leadership of the Internal Moderator.
Amendments, corrections and additions to the marking guideline are made during this marking guideline discussion.
The markers mark 3 dummy scripts to test the validity of the amended marking guideline, which requires accuracy and precision.

This rigorous training ensures that markers shortcomings are identified so that markers are allocated questions according to their strengths demonstrated during the training. In addition, the moderation of the marked scripts contributes immensely to the empowerment of markers as markers are constantly provided with feedback on the accuracy of their marking. Most of the markers appointed per examination cycle are highly experienced as they have gone through this training several times and understand what it takes to achieve reliable and valid scores in this process.

3. All examiners who rendered services and submitted correctly completed claim forms in the previous examination cycle have been paid.

All marking claims for November 2016 examination cycle have been processed for payment.

COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:

EXT:

DIRECTOR – GENERAL

STATUS:

DATE:

QUESTION 595 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED

Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING