• The Department of Basic Education is working on introducing the General Education Certificate, awarded to learners upon completion of Grade 9.
• Currently in its pilot phase, the certificate is set to be rolled out across the country by 2025.
• The department says the certificate will serve as a way to recognise the “10 years of school” undergone by learners who complete Grade 9.

Initially outlined in a 2021 Department of Basic Education (DBE) draft policy (PDF), the General Education Certificate is being formulated as a qualification for anyone who reached NQF Level 1, or the equivalent of having completed Grades 1 to 9.

The certificate is currently in its pilot phase with the DBE looking at a full launch of the new certificate in 2025. This is according to DBE Minister Angie Motshekga, who spoke at a media briefing held on the weekend.

“The purpose of the GEC is to provide learners with expanded opportunities to display their capabilities on inquiry-based learning, solving real-world problems and designing practical solutions which will better prepare them for further education and training and the world of work,” Motshekga said during the briefing.

BusinessTech reports that in 2022 the certificate was introduced in 270 schools across all nine provinces.

This year the pilot programme was increased to 1 000 schools, with a full rollout initially planned for 2024, now delayed to 2025.

According to the department’s draft, the General Education Certificate is designed to enable learners to access three learning pathways:

• “To continue with an academic route through the completion of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in schools, culminating in the achievement of the National Senior Certificate at NQF Level 4.
• To choose a vocational route through completion of the National Certificate: Vocational Qualifications at NQF Levels 2, 3 and 4, which contain vocational specialisations that are offered in TVET Colleges.
• To have access to Occupational specific qualifications at NQF Level 2, 3 and 4, which consist of knowledge, skills and workplace experience and learning, in schools or in other institutions.”

Achieving the certificate will show that the learner has completed and achieved the required knowledge, skills, values and competence in general educational qualification at Level 1 on the NQF. Basically, it will serve as a qualification certificate awarded to learners who graduate grade nine, which can be used to access other avenues of education not previously accessible.

More than anything, however, it seems it will be a psychological boost to learners who may feel limited by their NQF level 1 qualification. The DBE says that the certificate will “give recognition to learners who achieve and meet the necessary requirements and competencies as specified in the Exit Level Outcomes and associated Assessment Criteria as set out in the GFETQSF along differentiated pathways.”

Further, it will “develop learners who are sensitive and reflective of issues relating to diversity, equality, inclusivity, cultural values, human rights, human dignity, non-racialism, belief, and gender”

Critics have said that the certificate is a way for the DBE to provide an acceptable exit for the hundreds of students in South Africa each year who do not complete matric, and instead exit at grade nine.

The DBE says each year vast swathes of learners leave the mainstream schooling system without any qualifications, and the certificate “allows for learners, after ten years of schooling (grade nine), to be recognised for their levels of curriculum attainment, general capabilities and talents.”

[Image – DBE TV News on Twitter]