In the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Overview of the Annual Performance Plan (APP) for 2022, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education queried the long waiting period for the processing of matric certificates.
Matric certificates also referred to as the National Senior Certificate (NSC) are issued to learners who have passed grade 12 according to the National Curriculum. The certificate is an assurance that the learner has achieved the exit level learning outcomes provided by the National Curriculum.
Members of the Portfolio Committee were concerned about the contributing factors for the delay in certification and how this could be improved.
Umalusi Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, who is responsible for the quality assurance of assessment in the Grade 12 year, issues the Matric certificates to successful NSC candidates.
Umalusi responded to the Portfolio Committee's query concerning matric certificates saying:
With delays in the printing and issuing of certificates, the Council gave a detailed explanation to some of the challenges with receiving final data-sets from provincial education departments. There was some mopping-up to be done by Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) prior to final data-sets being submitted for certification. The only outstanding data-sets were from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State and Northern Cape.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, having considered Budget Vote 16: Basic Education, together with the Annual Performance Plan of the Department of Basic Education recommends that the Minister of Basic Education ensure the following:
“Umalusi ensure timeous and speedy turn-around for certification of results processes.”
