shortest and least time consuming routes for the marked scripts, and other applicable documentation, that must go to the external examiner and/or moderator.
4.2.2 As indicated before (refer par.3.6.2 and 3.6.3), the control form that accompanies the scripts indicates the flow of the scripts from examiner to the external examiner and moderator, with due dates and provision for sign-off. It is therefore not essential that the examiner first return the marked scripts to the Examination Administration Department for further delivery to the external examiner or moderator, but, if for example, the moderator is in the same faculty as the examiner, the scripts can go directly from the examiner to the moderator.
4.2.3 It is best practice that any changes to marks by the external examiner or the moderator should not be captured by the examiner, but rather at the Examination Administration Department. It is, however, fair that the feedback report from the external examiner or moderator with the recommendations for changing the marks, must also be sent to the examiner and the particular HoD.
4.3 Final approval of marks
4.3.1 The final approval of marks before releasing them to students or publication thereof remains an academic process exercised within the faculties through the mechanisms of the Faculty Boards and/or their Examination Committees. For final year marks there might be an Examinations Committee of Senate that approves final year marks, but it differs from institution to institution, depending also on the size of the institution.
4.3.2 It is best practice that the lists with marks that serve at the various Faculties’ Examination Committees are produced directly from the student information system by the faculty administration. Due to the time constraints in the finalisation of marks, it is not feasible for the Examination Administration Department to produce the lists and then distribute them to the faculties.
4.3.3 It is best practice that the Examination Administration Department puts the necessary blocks on the information system during the process of capturing of marks. The objective is to give, for example, examiners a cut-off date to capture their marks, and once these marks have been captured, it is blocked for further changes unless approved by a higher authority. The same should apply for marks that are approved by the Examination Committees, i.e. once approved, no more changes should be allowed. Without these access controls to change marks after capturing, the system could be subject to corruption. It is very important that these controls and cut-off dates are communicated to all personnel involved with the capturing of marks.
4.4 Publication of marks
(Refer par. 1.7.7)
4.4.1 Par. 1.7.7 states that the best practice is that institutions are increasingly moving away from the traditional pre-determined date of publishing results with marks lists being
put up on the notice boards on campus. Instead, marks are released electronically on the institution’s web site or intranet once finalised and students can then access the web site with password control to obtain their marks. This media enables institutions to release marks as and when they become available, i.e. all marks are not published on one particular pre-determined date.
4.4.2 Where institutions release the marks as and when they become available, there should still be a final date (agreed and approved by Senate) when all marks must be published.
It is best practice and also fair practice to set and communicate such a date, giving students sufficient time to prepare for and participate in any supplementary or special examinations, and also to enable them to plan their studies for the next academic period.
4.4.3 Using the website as media to publish marks could eliminate mailing hard copy reports to students by post, provided that a student is able to print a hard copy of his/her marks report or study record from the web site. It is also much more cost-effective. The fact remains, however, that it is best practice to provide students with a hard copy of the study record and marks obtained, to enable them to apply for bursaries or employment.
4.4.4 It is best practice to ensure that students are fully informed about the policies and procedures regarding queries on marks, appeals against marks and application for a re-mark. Most importantly, however, students must know where to go to with a query. Appeals and/or applications for re-marks are administrative procedures according to published policy and are therefore dealt with by the Examination Administration Department.
4.4.5 It is best practice that the student must go to the faculty first to query a mark, provided that it is the arrangement that examination scripts are kept at the faculty for a specified period of time after the examination, as the script is the source document to be referred to if there is a query.
4.4.6 It is best practice that all published marks have a results code key to clearly indicate to the student the outcome of his/her effort, e.g. pass, fail, repeat, supplementary examination, etc. Abbreviated result codes must have an accompanying key on the study record or marks report.
4.4.7 For the procedure on the scrutiny of his/her script by a student, refer to par. 1.7.7 viii).
4.5 Supplementary and special examinations
(Refer par. 1.7.2 and 1.7.3, as well as the subsequent note in this regard)
4.5.1 In addition to what is formulated in the abovementioned policies, it is best practice to schedule all supplementary and special examinations to commence directly after the marks for the main examination have been released.
4.5.2 Due to extreme time pressures to release the marks obtained in supplementary and special examinations before the registration for the next academic period commences, it is necessary to fast track the processes pertaining to these examinations. The Examination Administration Department plays a very important role in exercising the necessary controls
and meeting pre-set deadlines in this regard. It therefore requires careful and thorough planning to schedule supplementary examinations and the subsequent moderation of scripts.
4.6 Role of the Examination Administration Department at Graduation
The Examination Administration Department is the custodian of the marks and study records, whereas the examiners and the faculties take ownership for the correctness and accuracy of the data captured on the system.
4.6.1 It is therefore deemed best practice that there are mechanisms in place that indicate at the beginning of the study period to the Examination Administration Department and faculties when a student is in the final study year of the qualification, and a possible graduation candidate.
4.6.2 After the finalisation and release of marks, the Examination Administration Department generates a list of graduation candidates who have met the requirements for the qualification as specified in the student information system. This list is then subject to verification by the faculties, and if in agreement that these candidates should graduate, signing off the list.
4.6.3 This list is the source used to generate the graduation certificates and to compile the graduation programme. The Examination Administration Department plays an important role in the graduation process in terms of the finalisation of the graduates list, list of all invitees, guest list, ceremony programme, venue, seating allocation, issuing of the degree certificates, etc. Larger institutions have a separate graduation section or unit that takes responsibility for all the arrangements pertaining to the graduation ceremony.
4.6.4 It is best practice that the Examination Administration Department takes the responsibility for the printing of the graduation certificates on authenticated certificate forms, and records all certificates that are to be issued at the graduation in a central register in both electronic and hard copy format.