The IEB

The importance of a good education cannot be overstated and this is especially true when it comes to matric. This is because a matric qualification opens the doors to a wide variety of opportunities to better your quality of life. These include job opportunities and opportunities to further your education.

Despite the importance of matric not many people are aware that there are two different examinations that students can write to obtain their matric. These are the CAPS exams and the IEB exam. That is why we decided to write this article to take a closer look at the IEB. To shed some light on the differences between these exams and their benefits to the students.

What is the IEB?

The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) is an independent assessment agency in South Africa. They offer exams for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or matric qualification to various clients, mostly private schools. Their assessments are fully accredited by Umalusi which is the statutory body responsible for quality assurance when it comes to school and adult assessment in South Africa. The IEB has earned a reputation for developing assessments that require a critical response from learners and improves their engagement with learning material.

IEB vs CAPS

The other assessment option for matric students in South Africa is CAPS. The Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is a single comprehensive policy document for learning and teaching in South Africa from Grades R-12. While CAPS dictates the educational system in South Africa there are some differences between an IEB-based education and a CAPS-based education. We will explore these differences in more detail below:

Curriculum

The curriculum for both IEB and CAPS students is identical up to Grade 10. However, after this point, there are some differences. These differences are primarily found in the assessments as CAPS students write exams set by the Department of Basic Education, while IEB students write independent examinations.

Qualification

Successful completion of either IEB or CAPS Grade 12 final assessment will award the student a National Senior Certificate (NSC). However, an IEB matric, which is a matric earned by completing the IEB examinations, is internationally recognised. This is because the IEB assessments are in line with international standards, which is why many consider an IEB NSC better than the standard NSC qualification.

Difficulty

The biggest difference between the IEB and CAPS curriculums is the difficulty of the assessments. IEB exams require more comprehensive answers and are more strict when it comes to awarding marks. This can make it more challenging for students in an IEB school to obtain their NSC.

Benefits of IEB

As we have seen there are a number of differences between the IEB and CAPS assessments. There are however a number of benefits for students provided by the IEB. These include the following:

• Internationally recognised: As previously mentioned the IEB examinations are in line with international standards of education. This is especially beneficial for students wanting to pursue tertiary education overseas as an IEB matric is equivalent to A levels in the United Kingdom.
• Subject pool: Another benefit to the IEB system is the larger number of subjects it offers. While both IEB and CAPS require a total of 7 subjects to be passed to obtain a matric. CAPS has a total of 37 subjects for students to choose from while the IEB offers a total of 69. This gives students more options and avenues to explore their interests.
• Independent: As the IEB is an independent assessment body it can provide an alternative voice to the National Department of Education on curriculum and assessment matters. This can help to improve the standard of education across the country as they assist in finding the best methods of assessment and teaching.

Drawbacks of IEB

While the IEB is widely recognised as the better curriculum and assessment method, it is not without its own drawbacks. These drawbacks are as follows:

• Difficulty: As previously mentioned the IEB examinations are widely considered more difficult than the CAPS-based assessments. This can prove too challenging for some students and can cause a setback in their education should they fail.
• Cost: Another drawback of the IEB system is the cost. As it is administered and developed by an independent board the IEB system is only used in private schools in South Africa. This makes an IEB-based NSC qualification more expensive than its CAPS counterpart to enroll in.

Conclusion

As we have seen there are two main assessment methods in South African schools for the National Senior Certificate. We have shed some light on what exactly the IEB system is and how it differs from CAPS. Additionally, as we have seen there are a number of benefits and drawbacks to the IEB system that any student should keep in mind when deciding which system is right for them. We hope this has helped any students or parents to better understand the two systems so that they can choose the best curriculum to suit their needs. Allowing them to pursue their dreams with as few obstacles as possible.