South African Nursing Council

Regulations Relating to Examinations of the South African Nursing Council

The Minister of National Health has, on the recommendation of the South African Nursing Council, in terms of section 45(1) of the Nursing Act, 1978 (Act No. 50 of 1978), made the regulations as set out in the Schedule hereto.

SCHEDULE

Definitions

1.    In these regulations, “the Act” means the Nursing Act, 1978 (Act No. 50 of 1978), and any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act bears such meaning and, unless the context otherwise indicates-

“basic course” means any course specified as a basic course in the regulations made for a specific course;

“candidate” means a pupil nursing auxiliary, pupil nurse, student nurse or student midwife, or any student following a post-basic course;

“portion” means a part of an examination for which a result will be published in the examination results and which shall be taken as a whole;

“post-basic course” means any course specified as a post-basic course in the regulations made for a specific course;

“practical portion” means a portion consisting of a practical examination which may include an oral examination and includes the marks obtained in a system of continuous assessment;

“written portion” means a portion consisting of one or more written papers.

Application to conduct examinations on behalf of the council

2. (1)    A nursing school may apply to the council to conduct examinations referred to in these regulations on behalf of the council and such an application may be approved by the council if the nursing school concerned is-

(a)    a nursing college approved to offer the prescribed course in terms of the regulations published under Government Notice R.425 of 22 February 1985;

(b)    a department or subdepartment of nursing science of a university;

(c)    an institute of a university that is linked to the department or subdepartment of nursing science of the university;

(d)    a technikon with a department or subdepartment of nursing science.

(2)    Notwithstanding the provisions of subregulation (1) the council may approve an application that does not meet the requirements of that subregulation.

(3)    An application referred to in subregulation (1)-

(a)    shall be submitted by a nursing school in respect of each course for which such approval is sought;

(b)    may be submitted together with an application for approval of a course;

(c)    shall be submitted at least six months prior to the first examination for which the approval is sought;

(d)    shall be accompanied by an application for the approval of the moderator proposed by the nursing school concerned;

(e)    shall be submitted annually not later than the last day of August of the year preceding the year for which approval is sought.

(4)    The approval referred to in subregulation (1) shall be subject to such conditions as the council may determine.

Dates of examinations

3. (1)    Examinations for prescribed courses shall be conducted on the dates determined by the council.

(2)    In the case of examinations conducted by a nursing school on behalf of the council, the person in charge of the nursing school shall submit the dates proposed for examinations to the council together with the application referred to in regulation

Application for admission to an examination

4. (1)    A candidate shall submit to the council an application for admission to an examination not later than the seventh day of the month, three months prior to the month in which the examination is to be conducted.

(2)    An application for admission to an examination submitted later than the date referred to in subregulation (1) may be accepted by the council-

(a)    if it is submitted within seven days of the date referred to in subregulation (1) and is accompanied by the late entry fee prescribed by regulation 16(c); or

(b)    if, in the case of a candidate who has failed one or more portions of an examination but who qualifies for a further examination, it is submitted before or on the date which shall be published together with the results of the examination in which the candidate failed, in which case no late entry fee shall be payable.

5. (1)    The person in charge of a nursing school shall certify on the application form for admission to an examination that the candidate is eligible for admission to the examination for the course concerned in terms of the prescribed training conditions for such course.

(2)    The person in charge of a nursing school shall notify the council immediately, giving reasons, if a candidate becomes ineligible for admission to an examination subsequent to the submitting of an application for admission to an examination.

6.    An application for admission to an examination shall be deemed to have been submitted in accordance with these regulations, if-

(a)    it is submitted on the official form obtainable from the council;

(b)    all information required on the application form has been filled in;

(c)    any certification required on the application form has been completed by the person in charge of the nursing school concerned;

(d)    it is accompanied by the examination fee prescribed by regulation 16(a) or (b); and

(e)    it is, in the case of a late entry, accompanied by the late entry fee prescribed by regulation 16(c).

7. (1)    A candidate who is absent from an examination on the actual day or days of the examination for a reason acceptable to the council may apply for admission to the next examination without the payment of the examination fee prescribed by regulation 16(a) or (b).

(2)    In the case of an absence referred to in subregulation (1) proof acceptable to the council of the reason for the absence shall be submitted to the council within 21 days of the date of the examination from which the candidate was absent.

(3)    The candidate referred to in subregulation (1) shall retain credit for any portion of the examination passed or passed with distinction.

Examination marks and examination results

8. (1)    The nursing school shall submit to the council the percentage marks obtained by candidates in the practical portion prescribed by the regulations for the course concerned on the official mark sheet for the practical portion supplied by the council before or on the last day of the month in which the written examination takes place, and such mark sheet shall be signed by the person in charge of the nursing school.

(2)    In the case of an examination conducted on behalf of the council, all examination marks shall be submitted to the council on the official mark sheet supplied by the council before or on the last day of the second month following the month in which the examination was conducted, and such mark sheet shall be signed by the person in charge of the nursing school and by the moderator for the examination.

(3)    To pass a portion a candidate shall obtain at least 50% of the aggregate marks for the portion and where a written portion consists of more than one paper a candidate shall obtain at least 40% in each paper.

(4)    To pass a portion with distinction a candidate shall at the first attempt obtain at least 75% of the aggregate marks for the portion.

(5)    To pass a course a candidate shall pass all portions of the final examination for the course.

(6)    To pass a course with honours a candidate shall at the first attempt obtain at least 75% of the aggregate marks for the final examination and where the final examination consists of more than one portion a candidate shall obtain at least 65% of the aggregate marks for each portion.

9. (1)    A candidate who fails the written portion of an examination conducted by the council may apply to the council for reassessment before or on the date which shall be published together with the results of the examination, in which case a reassessment fee as prescribed by regulation 16(e) shall be payable.

(2)    A candidate who fails the written portion of an examination conducted by a nursing school on behalf of the council may apply to the nursing school for reassessment in terms of the examination rules of the nursing school concerned before or on the date which shall be published together with the examination results.

(3)    The result of a reassessment referred to in subregulations (1) and (2) shall be final and binding.

(4)    Reassessment fees shall not be refunded, regardless of the result of the reassessment.

Further examinations

10. (1)    A candidate who fails an examination of a specific year of a course for the first time but who obtained at least 40% in each portion-

(a)    shall retain credit for any portion in which at least 50% was obtained; and

(b)    may apply for admission to a further examination which shall take place within one year of the end of the month in which he wrote the examination in which he failed.

(2)    A candidate who fails an examination of a specific year of a course for the first time and who obtained less than 40% in one or more of the portions-

(a)    shall not retain credit for any portion of the examination;

(b)    may apply for admission to a further examination, which shall take place after five months after the end of the month in which he wrote the examination which he failed; and

(c)    may apply only for admission to an examination which takes place within one year of the end of the month in which he wrote the examination in which he failed.

11. (1)    A candidate who in terms of regulation 10(1) or (2) qualifies for a further examination but who fails to sit for a further examination within one year of the end of the month in which the examination which he failed was written shall be admitted to a subsequent examination only if he-

(a)    reregisters as a student or re-enrols as a pupil, as the case may be; and

(b)    completes an additional period of training equal to one third of the time which elapsed from the completion of the course to reregistration as a student or re-enrolment as a pupil, to a maximum period of one year of additional training.

(2)    A candidate referred to in subregulation (1) shall forfeit any credits referred to in regulation 10(1).

12. (1)    A candidate for a basic course who for the second time fails an examination of the same year of a course shall be admitted to a subsequent examination only if he-

(a)    reregisters as a student or re-enrols as a pupil, as the case may be; and

(b)    completes an additional period of training equal to one third of the time which elapsed from the completion of the last period of training to reregistration as a student or re-enrolment as a pupil, to a maximum period of one year of additional training.

(2)    A candidate referred to in subregulation (1) shall forfeit any credits referred to in regulation 10(1).

13. (1)    A candidate for a post-basic course who for a second time fails an examination of the same year of a course shall be admitted to an examination for the last time only after he has repeated the course.

(2)    A candidate referred to in subregulation (1) shall-

(a)    reregister as a student;

(b)    enter for the examination as a whole; and

(c)    forfeit any credits referred to in regulation 10(1).

14. (1)    A candidate for a basic course who for a third time fails an examination for the same year of a course shall be admitted to a further examination only if-

(a)    the nursing school concerned submits to the council an application by the candidate, together with a full substantiation by the nursing school; and

(b)    such application is approved by the council.

(2)    If any application is approved in terms of subregulation (1)(b), the candidate shall be admitted to an examination for the last time only if he-

(a)    reregisters as a student or re-enrols as a pupil, as the case may be; and

(b)    repeats the last twelve months of training.

(3)    A candidate referred to in subregulation (2) shall-

(a)    enter for the examination as a whole; and

(b)    forfeit any credits referred to in regulation 10(1).

15.    Where a candidate has undergone additional training referred to in regulation 11, 12 or 14, the person in charge of the nursing school shall certify on the application form for admission to the examination that the candidate has undergone such training and shall state the period of such training.

Examination fees

16.    Subject to the provisions of-

(a)    regulation 7, an examination fee of R110,00, excluding VAT, per paper for basic courses shall be payable to the council on application for admission to the examination;

[ The above amount is effective from 17 March 2007. The amount was previously R100,00, excluding VAT. ]

(b)    regulation 7, an examination fee of R110,00, excluding VAT, per paper for post-basic courses shall be payable to the council on application for admission to the examination;

[ The above amount is effective from 17 March 2007. The amount was previously R100,00, excluding VAT. ]

(c)    regulation 4(2), an application submitted later than the date referred to in regulation 4(1), shall be accepted only on payment of a late entry fee of R55,26, excluding VAT, which shall be payable in addition to the fees prescribed by paragraph (a) or (b);

[ The above amount is effective from 17 March 2007. The amount was previously R50,00, excluding VAT. ]

(d)    regulation 7, a candidate shall forfeit examination fees to the council if any application is cancelled or if a candidate is absent from an examination or a portion of an examination;

(e)    regulation 9(1), a reassessment fee of R219,30, excluding VAT, shall be payable to the council on application for the reassessment of the written portion of an examination.

[ The above amount is effective from 17 March 2007. The amount was previously R200,00, excluding VAT. ]

Examination centres

17.    Examinations shall be conducted at such places as the council may determine.

Conduct of candidates during an examination

18.    A candidate shall obey the instructions of the invigilator in charge of the examination at all times.

19.    A candidate shall not be admitted to an examination unless he is able to identify himself positively.

20.    A candidate shall be disqualified if, during the examination, he-

(a)    has any books, any memoranda or notes of any description, or any paper not authorised by the invigilator in charge of the examination in his possession;

(b)    helps or attempts to help another candidate with the examination;

(c)    obtains or attempts to obtain help with the examination from another candidate; or

(d)    in any way communicates or attempts to communicate with another candidate.

21.    Where examinations are conducted on behalf of the council, the examination rules of the nursing school concerned shall apply in respect of the conduct of candidates during an examination.

Transition clause

22.    Where the council prior to the publication of these regulations informed a candidate of a period of additional training to be undergone in accordance with the regulations in force for a course at that time these regulations shall in no way amend the prior decision of the council.

Commencement of these regulations

23. (1)    The provisions of the regulations published under Government Notices Nos. R.83 of 16 January 1970, R.85 of 16 January 1970, R.254 of 14 February 1975, R.880 of 2 May 1975, R.1658 of 3 August 1979, R.1660 of 3 August 1979, R.1664 of 3 August 1979, R.1665 of 3 August 1979, R.1669 of 3 August 1979, R.1670 of 3 August 1979, R.276 of 15 February 1980, R.239 of 13 February 1981, R.240 of 13 February 1981, R.47 of 22 January 1982, R.48 of 22 January 1982, R.683 of 14 April 1989 and R.1571 of 21 July 1989, in so far as they relate to examinations, shall remain in force until they are deleted, and these regulations shall commence on the different dates on which the provisions concerned for every course are deleted.

(2)    Notwithstanding the deletion of the provisions referred to in subregulation (1) such provisions shall remain in force in respect of a candidate who was admitted to the course concerned prior to date of such deletion.