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South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)

Regulations

Regulations pertaining to the National Curriculum Statement for Grades R-12

5. Programme Requirements, Grades R-12

 

(1) Foundation Phase (Grades R-3)

 

(a) A learner who has enrolled for Grade R at a public or an independent school offering the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 at Grade R level must offer the following three (3) subjects stipulated in paragraphs 5 and 6(1) of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12—
(i) One official language at Home Language level;
(iA) Deaf learners may, subject to regulation 18(5), introduce South African Sign Language at Home Language level listed in Table 1A:
(ii) Mathematics; and
(iii) Life Skills, comprising Beginning Knowledge, Creative Arts, Physical Education and Personal and Social Wellbeing.
(b) The three (3) subjects listed in subregulation (a) must be offered in accordance with the subject requirements as stipulated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the said subjects and listed in Annexure A.
(bA) Independent schools must comply with the minimum outcomes and standards regarding the programme requirements of the subjects listed in subregulation (a), namely the overview of the relevant subject content, as contemplated in section 2 of the applicable Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, provided they have comparable content sequencing principles in place as listed in sections 2 and 3 of the said policy document.
(bB) Should an independent school’s performance not meet the required performance targets as stipulated by the relevant authority, such a school must comply with all subject requirements as stipulated in sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements.
(c) A learner who has enrolled for Grades 1-3 at a public or an independent school offering the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 must offer the following four (4) subjects stipulated in paragraph 6(2) of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12—
(i) One official language
(iA) Deaf learners may, subject to regulation 18(5), select South African Sign Language at Home Language level listed in Table 1A;

[Regulation 5(1)(c)(iA) substituted by section 3(a) of Notice No. 2455, GG46847, dated 2 September 2022]

(ii) One official language at First Additional Language level, provided it is not the same official language offered at subregulation (i);
(iii) Mathematics; and
(iv) Life Skills, comprising Beginning Knowledge, Creative Arts, Physical Education and Personal and Social Wellbeing.
(d) The four (4) subjects listed in subregulation (c) must be offered in accordance with the subject requirements as stipulated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the said subjects and listed in Annexure A.
(e) If the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) in Grades 1-3 is not the same as the LoLT from Grade 4 onwards, the official language offered at First Additional Language level must be the LoLT for Grade 4.
(f) A third official or non-official language at Second Additional Language level or a higher level may be introduced to learners in the Foundation Phase, provided the Foundation Phase programme requirements as stipulated in subregulations a, b, c, d and e are met and the offering of a third official or non-official language at Second Additional Language level or a higher level does not replace any one of the required two official languages at Home and First Additional Language level, as  contemplated in subregulation (c), provided further that:
(i) the offering of a third official or non-official language at Second Additional Language level or a higher level does not affect the official number of hours teaching time allocated for compulsory subjects in the Foundation Phase as contemplated in paragraph 10 of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12;
(ii) additional time for the offering of a third official or non-official language at Second Additional Language level or a higher level in the Foundation Phase is provided for by means of an extended school day;
(iii) the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement of the selected official or non-official language must be developed in terms of the generic English Language Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement at the level selected; and
(iv) the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement of the selected official or non-official language does not need translation, only versioning of the required sections.

 

(2) Intermediate Phase (Grades 4-6)

 

(a) A learner who has enrolled for Grades 4-6 at a public or an independent school offering the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 must offer the following six (6) subjects stipulated in paragraphs 11 and 12 of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12—
(i) Two (2) official languages, provided that one of the two official languages is offered on the Home Language level, and the other official language on at least First Additional Language level, and provided further that one of the two languages offered is the language of learning and teaching;
(iA) Deaf learners may, subject to paragraph 14(5), select South African Sign Language at Home Language level;

[Regulation 5(2)(a)(iA) substituted by section 3(b) of Notice No. 2455, GG46847, dated 2 September 2022]

(ii) Mathematics,
(iii) Natural Sciences and Technology;
(iv) Life Skills;
(v) Social Sciences; and
(vi) One official or approved non-official language may be offered as an optional subject on at least Second Additional Language level, provided that in the case of an official language, the language offered is not a language offered in terms of subregulation (i) above. The optional language will be regarded as an additional subject. Optional languages may only be offered if the school can make an arrangement for the allocation of additional time to the allocated 27,5 hours.
(viA) South African Sign Language at Home Language level listed in Table 6A, may be offered as an optional subject by non-deaf learners, provided that South African Sign Language at Home Language level will be regarded as an additional subject not to be taken into account for promotion requirements as contemplated in regulation 6(2).
(b) The six (6) subjects listed in subregulation (a) must be offered in accordance with the subject requirements as stipulated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the said subjects and listed in Annexure B.
(bA) Independent schools must comply with the minimum outcomes and standards regarding the programme requirements of the subjects listed in subregulation (a), namely the overview of the relevant subject content, as contemplated in section 2 of the applicable Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, provided they have comparable content sequencing principles in place as listed in sections 2 and 3 of the said policy document.
(bB) Should an independent school’s performance not meet the required performance targets as stipulated by the relevant authority, such a school must comply with all subject requirements as stipulated in sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements.
(c) In the case where a non-official language is selected as an optional subject in terms of paragraph 3(a)(vi), the selected non-official language must be developed according to the generic English Language Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement at the selected level.
(d) The optional languages do not need translation, only versioning of the required sections.
(e) Not more than one language shall be offered from the same language group, namely:
(i) isiXhosa, isiZulu, SiSwati and isiNdebele; and
(ii) Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana.
(f) The same language shall not be offered on Home Language and First or Second Additional Language level, or on First and Second Additional Language level.

 

(3) Senior Phase (Grades 7-9)

 

(a) A learner who has enrolled for Grades 7-9 at a public or an independent school offering the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 must offer and complete the internal and external assessment requirements of the following nine (9) subjects stipulated in paragraphs 18 and 19 of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12—
(i) Two (2) official languages, provided that one of the two official languages is offered on the Home Language level, and the other language, on either Home or on at least First Additional Language level, and provided further that one of the two languages offered is the language of learning and teaching or the language of literacy in the case of Deaf Learners;
(iA) Deaf learners may, subject to paragraph 21(1)(eA) select South African Sign Language at Home Language level;

[Regulation 5(3)(a)(iA) substituted by section 3(c) of Notice No. 2455, GG46847, dated 2 September 2022]

(ii) Mathematics;
(iii) Natural Sciences;
(iv) Life Orientation;
(v) Social Sciences;
(vi) Technology;
(vii) Creative Arts; and
(viii) Economic and Management Sciences
(ix) One official or approved non-official language may be offered as an optional subject on at least Second Additional Language level, provided that in the case of an official language, the language offered must not be a language offered in terms of subregulation (i) above. The Additional Language will be regarded as an additional subject not to be considered for promotion requirements. Optional languages may only be offered if the school can make an arrangement for the allocation of additional time to the allocated 27,5 hours.
(ixA) South African Sign Language at Home Language level, may be offered as an optional subject by non-deaf learners, provided that South African Sign Language at Home Language level will be regarded as an additional subject not to be taken into account for promotion requirements as contemplated in paragraph 21.
(b) The nine (9) subjects listed in subregulation (a) are offered in accordance with Sections 2 and 3 of the subject requirements as stipulated in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the said subjects and listed in Annexure C.
(bA) Independent schools must comply with the minimum outcomes and standards regarding the programme requirements of the subjects listed in subregulation (a), namely the overview of the relevant subject content, as contemplated in section 2 of the applicable Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, provided they have comparable content sequencing principles in place as listed in sections 2 and 3 of the said policy document.
(bB) Should an independent school’s performance not meet the required performance targets as stipulated by the relevant authority, such a school must comply with all subject requirements as stipulated in sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements.
(c) In the case where a non-official language is selected as an optional subject in terms of paragraph 3(a)(vi), the selected non-official language must be developed according to the generic English Language Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement at the selected level.
(d) The optional languages do not need translation, only versioning of the required sections.
(e) Not more than one language shall be offered from the same language group, namely:
(i) isiXhosa, isiZulu, SiSwati and isiNdebele; and
(ii) Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana.
(f) The same language shall not be offered on Home Language and First or Second Additional Language level, or on First and Second Additional Language level.

 

(4) Further Education and Training Phase (Grades 10-12)

 

(4A) Study pathways for grades 10-12

 

(1) Learners entering the FET Phase must follow one of the following two pathways, namely an Academic (General) or Technical pathway.

 

(2) Learners following the Academic (General) pathway must follow the curriculum as contemplated in paragraphs 27(2)(a), 27(2)(b), 27(2)(c), 27(2)(d)(i) and 27(2)(e).

 

(3) Learners following the Technical pathway must follow the curriculum as contemplated in subparagraphs 27(2)(a), 27(2)(bA), 27(2)(c) and 27(2)(d)(ii).

 

(4) To qualify for the Technical pathway a learner must be enrolled at a technical school approved and registered by the relevant Provincial Education Department.

 

(4B) Subject Selection

 

(a) A learner at a public or an independent school offering the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12, who has enrolled for either an Academic (General) or Technical pathway, must offer and complete the School Based Assessment, Practical Assessment Tasks and oral, and the external assessment requirements of the following seven (7) subjects grouped in two main categories, namely Groups A and B as stipulated in paragraph 27 of the policy document, National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 (Annexure D).
(b) A learner must select four subjects from Group A as follows—
(i) Two (2) official languages, provided that one of the two official languages is offered on the Home Language level, and the other, on either Home or First Additional Language level, and provided further that one of the two languages is the language of learning and teaching of the school or institution, or the language of literacy in the case of Deaf Learners.
(iA) Deaf learners may, subject to regulation 18(5)(a), select South African Sign Language at Home Language level listed in Table B4A;

[Regulation 5(4B)(b)(iA) substituted by section 3(d) of Notice No. 2455, GG46847, dated 2 September 2022]

(ii) Subject to subregulations (i), (iA), (iB) and (iC) Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy selected from Annexure B Table A2 for the Academic (General) pathway or Mathematical Literacy selected from Annexure B, Table A2 for the Academic (General) pathway, or Mathematics or Technical Mathematics selected from Annexure B, Table A2 for the Technical pathway.
(iii) Life Orientation;
(c) Subject to subregulations (iD) and (iE), both the General and Technical pathways must select a minimum of three subjects selected as follows from Group B Annexure B, Tables B1-B8.
(i) Academic (General) pathway—
(aa) of the minimum three required subjects, a maximum of two additional languages over and above the two official languages contemplated in subparagraph (a) may be offered from both Tables A1 and B4.
(bb) Learners may offer a maximum of one subject developed by accredited assessment bodies other than the Department of Basic Education and approved by the Minister of Basic Education for this purpose and listed in Annexures C1-C6, in the place of one Group B subject.
(ii) Technical pathway—
(aa) one of the following three technology subjects (specialisation)—
(aaa) Civil Technology (Specialisation);
(bbb) Electrical Technology (Specialisation); and
(ccc) Mechanical Technology (Specialisation);
(bb) Engineering Graphics and Design; and
(cc) Physical Sciences or Technical Science.
(cA) South African Sign Language at Home Language level, selected from Group B, Annexure B, Tables B1-B8, may be offered as one of the three optional subjects as contemplated in subparagraph (d).
(d) Of the minimum three required subjects from Group B, a maximum of two additional languages over and above the two official languages contemplated in subregulation (i) may be offered from the listed official languages at Home, First Additional and Second Additional Language levels, as well as from the approved non-official languages.
(e) The seven (7) subjects listed in subregulation (a) must be offered in accordance with the subject requirements as stipulated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the said subjects and listed in Annexure D. Where required, an accredited assessment body may deviate from the suggested content sequence, contemplated in Chapters 3 and 4 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements provided the minimum stipulated content is covered.
(f) A candidate may offer more than the required minimum of seven subjects provided that he or she complies with the following requirements—
(i) the additional subjects must be offered for all three years of the National Senior Certificate programme, namely Grades 10-12.
(ii) all the School-Based Assessment and the Practical/Oral Assessment Task requirements as stipulated in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the policy document National Protocol for Assessment Grades R-12 and Section 4 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the required subjects where applicable, must be met for all three years of study, namely Grades 10, 11 and 12.
(g) Not more than one language shall be offered from the same language group, namely—
(i) isiXhosa, isiZulu, SiSwati and isiNdebele; and
(ii) Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana.
(h) The same language shall not be offered on Home Language and First or Second Additional Language level, or on First and Second Additional Language level.
(i) A candidate from the Academic (General) pathway may not offer both Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy
(iA) A candidate from the Academic (General) pathway may not offer Technical Mathematics.
(iB) A candidate from the Technical pathway may not offer Mathematical Literacy.
(iC) A candidate from the Technical pathway may not offer both Mathematics and Technical Mathematics.
(iD) Learners offering Physical Sciences, and Accounting as one or more of their optional subjects selected from Group B in the policy document, National policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12; must offer Mathematics as a compulsory subject selected from Group A in the said policy document.
(iE) A candidate from the Academic (General) pathway may not offer Technical Science.
(iF) A candidate from the Academic (General) pathway may not offer any one of the following three technology subjects (Specialisation)—
(aa) Civil Technology (Specialisation);
(bb) Electrical Technology (Specialisation); and
(cc) Mechanical Technology (Specialisation).
(j) Consumer Studies and Hospitality Studies may not be offered in combination.
(k) Learners offering Sport and Exercise Science as a subject must offer either Physical Sciences or Life Sciences.
(l) Subjects which need special equipment such as Information Technology, Computer Applications Technology, Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies Technology subjects and Sport and Exercise Science, must be taught in such a way that they comply with the requirements for the teaching of such a subject as stipulated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the relevant subjects.