Umalusi Directs Learners to SACAI for Queries on 2024 NSC Exam Results

Clarifies the Role of SACAI in Assessment Outcomes and Quality Assurance Processes.

Umalusi, South Africa’s Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, has advised learners and parents to direct all queries regarding the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination outcomes to the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI). These queries include issues related to the costs and timelines for viewing, re-marking, re-checking examination scripts, re-writing exams, and other procedural concerns tied to the NSC exams.

SACAI is a private assessment body operating under its own set of policies, which include mechanisms for addressing complaints if learners or parents are dissatisfied with assessment results or procedures.

Following the release of the 2024 NSC examination results, Umalusi has received several queries from learners and parents, mainly concerning discrepancies between the final marks and those achieved earlier in the year. Umalusi reiterated that its approval of the exam results was based on a thorough review of the evidence collected at various stages of its quality assurance cycle.

In response to these queries, Umalusi highlighted the rigorous quality assurance processes applied to the 2024 NSC exam administered by SACAI, which include:

1. External Moderation: All question papers and school-based assessments (SBA) were externally moderated to maintain high assessment standards.
2. System Audits: Audits of SACAI’s examination system were conducted to assess the readiness of the entire examination management process.
3. Examination Monitoring: The examinations were monitored across selected centres to ensure credibility.
4. Marking Process Standardisation: Meetings were held to standardize marking guidelines for accuracy, and verification was done on the quality of marking in sampled subjects.
5. Standardisation of Results: Examination marks were standardized to ensure comparability and consistency across years and subjects.

Umalusi emphasized that these processes were applied consistently across all 24 subjects linked to the NSC examination administered by SACAI.

For those seeking more details on the standardisation of results and the processes used in the quality assurance of SACAI’s examinations, Umalusi has provided a detailed presentation available on its official website: Standardisation of Results Explained.

Furthermore, Umalusi reminded learners and parents that the NSC is assessed by three assessment bodies: SACAI, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), and the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Learners are encouraged to make an informed decision on which assessment body to register with based on their preferences and needs.

Regarding SACAI’s accreditation, Umalusi confirmed that SACAI was granted full accreditation to assess both the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) and NSC examinations from October 1, 2022. This accreditation ensures that SACAI meets the required standards for conducting assessments and awarding qualifications on the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-framework (GFETQSF).

Umalusi also stressed that the rationale behind accrediting private assessment bodies like SACAI is to ensure they have the capacity to deliver quality educational services and assessments in line with national standards.