Advocating for a Grade 9 general education certificate
The Grade 9 General Education Certificate (GEC) is intended to formally recognise learners achievements at the end of the compulsory phase of schooling.
The KZN Department of Education plans to possibly implement the Grade 9 General Education Certificate (GEC) in the Ugu District.
The department held an advocacy session for the Grade 9 GEC implementation in the Ugu and Harry Gwala districts at Marburg Secondary last week.
Sindi Zakuza-Njakazi, the department’s Chief Director in Curriculum, said it was important to hold these engagement sessions to establish if the system is ready for the full implementation of the GEC.
According to the Director for National Assessments at the Department of Basic Education, Dr Mark Chetty, the GEC is a flagship programme designed to expand the learning pathways and success opportunities of Grade 9 learners.
Chetty said the programme is intended to formally recognise learners’ achievements at the end of the compulsory phase of schooling, saying that its primary purpose is to facilitate subject choices beyond Grade 9 and collaboration between schools and TVET colleges.
He said the introduction of GEC has shown significant progress since several schools were randomly selected for the pilot study in 2022.
“The assessment frameworks are also being refined according to the learnings and recommendations. Great strides have been made in introducing dynamic and innovative assessment forms into the GEC assessment model, where learners in the selected schools are given expanded opportunities to display capabilities on inquiry-based learning, solve real-world problems and design practical solutions. The assessment instruments have been designed to integrate the learning of 21st-century skills within the scope of expected curriculum competencies,” said Chetty, adding that their plan is to see all public schools empowered to administer the assessment model of the GEC at Grade 9 level in 2024.
At the session, the KZN Department of Education’s Deputy Director-General in Curriculum Management and Delivery, Mbongiseni Mazibuko, said the GEC is for transforming education in a post-democratic country.
Mazibuko said the education system had to be stable to introduce and implement the GEC.
“We need to strengthen advocacy of this programme and ensure that all stakeholders are on board,” he said.
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