Policy on Subject Choices and Subject Changes

Policy on Subject Choices and Subject Changes

Preamble

The policy is to ensure that learners make the correct choices regarding their subjects for the FET phase and to eliminate any subject changes later in their high school career.

All subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase follow a three year programme from grade 10 to 12.

Subject Choice:

All Gr. 9 learners will make their subject selection for Gr. 10 during August of the Gr. 9 year.  The Life Orientation department will inform and liaise with learners regarding career options and the requirements.

Restrictions on certain subjects:

1.  The following subjects must be selected at the start of the Gr. 10 academic year and no changes into this subject will be allowed later in the year:

-  Engineering Graphics and Design

-  Information Technology

2.  As from 2017 learners in Gr. 10 wanting to study Accounting and Physical Sciences must take Mathematics as a subject through to Gr. 12.

3.  Should learners wish to change to one of the following subjects in the Gr. 11 year these must be taken as from the start of the GR. 11 year:

-  Computer Applications Technology

-  Design

-  Visual Arts

Subject changes as from 2017

The subject change policy has changed as promulgated in the Regulations Pertaining to the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 as amended in the Government Gazette, No. 39435 of 20 November 2015.

Subject changes in Grade 10

• A learner may change a maximum of two subjects

• The closing date for requests from parents to the school for subject changes is 30 June.

Subject changes in Grade 11

• A learner may change a maximum of two subjects

• The closing date for requests from parents to the school for subject changes is 31 March.

•  In exceptional cases, a learner may change one additional subject in Grade 11, after the release of the final end of year results in Grade 11.

• The request for a subject change must be done before or on the last day of the school term i.e. 9 December 2016. 

Subject changes in Grade 12

• NO subject changes will be allowed in the Grade 12 year as from 2017 onwards.

The administration of subject change for Grade 10-12

• Early identification of learners in Grade 10 and 11 for subject changes is very important. Subject teachers must identify such learners and inform parents in writing.

• The academic head/principal will consult with the parents, learner and subject teacher and consensus must be reached that it will be in the learner’s best interest to change subjects.

• After an agreement has been reached, the principal/academic head, parents and subject teacher must complete and sign a memorandum of agreement (Addendum A – to be collected from the academic head) indicating the subject change.

• This subject change must be captured on Cemis and a copy of the documents must be kept for scrutiny.

• A subject change for Grade 10 and 11 will be approved by the principal.

• The District and Head Office officials will monitor these request for subject changes.

• The WCED will not accept late requests for subject changes in Gr. 12.

• The National Senior Certificate is a three-year qualification and each subject must be offered in Grade 10, 11 and 12.  Candidates may not apply at the beginning of Grade 12 to register for an extra subject.