Question NW1939 to the Minister of Basic Education
13 July 2017 - NW1939
Ollis, Mr IM to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether, with regard to her Media Briefing on Education Sector Update on 24 May 2017, the consultants who will undertake an exploratory study on the establishment of a National Examinations Council have been appointed; if not, why not; if so, (a) which consultants have been appointed, (b) what was the process by which they were appointed, (c) how long will the specified study take to complete and (d) what are the terms of reference of the study?
Reply:
(a) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is currently in the process of appointing four consultants. The names of the consultants will be availed once the appointments are finalised.
(b) The Department identified experts in four fields related to this study, namely,
1) A research specialist on the international implementation of examination boards globally,
2) A curriculum design specialist,
3) A policy specialist, and
4) A finance specialist.
(c) The consultants will be appointed on a short term contract and the work is expected to be completed within three months of commencement.
(d) The terms of reference for the four experts that are proposed for this task and their respective responsibilities, are as follows:
1) A research specialist in the field of education in South Africa whose responsibility will be to conduct the international research on the implementation of examination boards globally, their value and the challenges confronted by these boards.
2) A curriculum specialist with in-depth knowledge and experience of examinations and curriculum in the South African context and an established expert in the field of examination administration and curriculum implementation whose responsibility will be to assist in the design of the new model after having taking cognisance of the international research and finding the best fit for the South African context.
3) A policy specialist responsible for the qualification, curriculum and assessment policy development in the Department of Basic Education. A change in the organisational arrangement relating to public examinations, therefore requires the expertise of a policy specialist, who will be able to identify the implications of this new arrangement on the various pieces of legislation that currently govern curriculum and assessment.
4) A financial expert who understands the financial implications of the examination system with the responsibility of costing the current examination arrangement across the DBE and the nine Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), inclusive of Umalusi and the costing of the new arrangement for each of the parties concerned.