Threats to the quality of marking of the national senior certificate examinations in the Northern Cape

Abstract

Examinations are regarded as vital instruments not only to determine the progress and success of learners, but also the quality of an education system. Owing to these high stakes, South Africa places enormous emphasis on the National Senior Certificate examination. Although quality should be ensured by an effective, accurate and a high standard in the marking process, complaints suggest that there may be threats to the quality of marking and, by implication, to the education system itself. This exploratory study reports on the possible threats to a high standard of marking that emerged from data generated through semi-structured interviews with various role-players involved in the marking process. The findings suggest that the threats relate to the appointment of markers, the competency of the markers and an overall lack of confidence in the marking process. We conclude the article by proposing various recommendations to curb the identified threats to accurate marking.