One thing that a learner should take note of when making decisions about their future, is whether their chosen institution of higher education is one that operates under the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), or the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). Knowing the difference between the two can be helpful in guiding students towards better understanding the tertiary study options available to them both nationally and internationally.
The first difference to be found between the two relates to the types of institutions often associated with each assessment model. The CAPS model can be seen in operation amongst public school institutions, whilst the IEB model operates under the private school sector.
Secondly, being that the IEB operates independently, their examinations are also manufactured independently, and therefore, tend to differ from CAPS examinations, which maintain a national standard across the country. Furthermore, students who successfully attain their NSC through the IEB model can expect to be equipped with an internationally benchmarked qualification that is equivalent to that of Cambridge AS Levels, whilst those with CAPS qualifications cannot expect the same.
Despite that fact, however, IEB examinations are still nationally regulated by Umalusi, meaning that they cannot stray too far from CAPS examinations. As such, the content taught between the two models and their assessment quality remain similar, with it only being their examinations that are set differently.
In addition, both learning models would lead to a South African qualification that would enable university entrance all over the country, offering ample post-secondary education opportunities to students on a national scale. Though, IEB does offer a slightly wider range of tertiary opportunities for students since it is internationally benchmarked.
Still however, students who earn their NSC after having completed their qualification under the CAPS model, are by no means barred from pursuing their tertiary studies overseas, as there are international entrance exams that students may write in order to supplement their matric marks. With that all said, understanding the difference between these levels, regardless of which study model the student chooses, can aid a student's understanding of their available post-higher education pursuits and how best to reach them.
