22 December 2020

Examinations conducted by the South African Nursing Council

1. PURPOSE

This circular is intended to inform the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs), and other relevant stakeholders of the following information regarding the South African Nursing Council examinations:

• Examinations written in October 2020
• Re-writing of failed examination papers/portions
• Late applications for entry into examination
• Date of expiration for the legacy nursing qualification examinations administered by SANC
• SANC examination for the new nursing qualifications

2. EXAMINATIONS WRITTEN IN OCTOBER 2020

2.1 Background

The COVID-19 Alert level 5 lockdown delayed the May 2020 examination. The dates of the exams were rescheduled, and the information was shared accordingly. In October 2020, the students took the exam that had been postponed.

2.2 Way forward

• Students who were not successful in the October 2020 examination will rewrite in May 2021; and
• Students who were successful in the October 2020 examination will write the final examination in November 2021.

3. RE-WRITING OF FAILED EXAMINATION PAPERS/PORTIONS

This serves as a reminder to NEIs that, despite the phasing out of legacy nursing qualifications, candidates must still follow the same procedure for rewriting failed examination papers or portions: 3.1 A candidate who has failed a portion or paper in the Council examination for the first time follows the procedure outlined below:

3.1.1 Participation in either of the two examinations that follow the publication of the examination results

• The NEI must submit an examination application form and the required fee to the Council;
  Within the allotted time frames, these submissions must be made;
  The passed portion or paper’s credits will be retained; Additionally, the Nursing Education Institution (NEI) may provide academic support to a candidate who has failed two exams in preparation for a third attempt. The NEI will keep track of such academic assistance. 3.1.2. A candidate who fails the after three attempts (the entire academic year)

3.1.2. a candidate who fails the examination after three attempts (a full academic year), re-registers for the course, and resumes training.

4. LATE APPLICATIONS FOR ENTRY TO EXAMINATION

4.1 Background

In advance, during the last quarter of each calendar year, the examination schedule, which also outlines the dates when students can apply to take the exam, is published for the following year’s exam.

4.1.2 In accordance with section (4)(1) of the South African Nursing Council examination regulations (Government Notice No. R7. “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,” according to the amended Act of January 8, 1993, on application for admission to an examination.

Regarding paragraph (2) of section 4.1.3: The Council may accept an application for admission to an examination submitted after the date specified in sub-regulation (1)-

• if it is submitted within seven days of the date specified in sub-regulation (1) and includes the regulation 16(c)-mandated late entry fee; or, in the case of a candidate who qualifies for a second examination despite failing one or more sections of the first one, if the application is received before or on the date the results of the first examination will be published, no late entry fee will be due.

4.2 Council resolution

The Council decided that late registration fees mentioned in section 4.1 should be paid by the NEI, not the students, at the virtual meeting on October 21-22, 2020.

4.3 Implications for subsequent examinations 4.3.1 The examination section has received an overwhelming number of late applications that do not comply with the requirements outlined in sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above. The examination section’s administration becomes a nightmare as a result of this. Additionally, the practice puts SANC at risk.
Because of this, the following rules will be in effect beginning in 2021:

• NO EXAMINATION APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE EXAMINATION REGULATIONS AS STATED IN SECTIONS
• 4.1.2 AND 4.1.3 ABOVE. NEIs must strictly adhere to the examination schedule that is published on a yearly basis.

4.3.2 NEIs who fail to apply for students’ examination entry in accordance with the published exam schedule will be held responsible for any ensuing litigation because the affected students will not take the exam.

5. END DATE OF THE SANC CONDUCTED EXAMINATIONS FOR THE LEGACY QUALIFICATIONS

5.1 Background

5.1.1 According to Circular 3/2020, which was published on January 28, 2020, the SANC’s legacy examinations’ completion dates will be announced in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s uncertainties, the examination dates were not communicated.

5.1.2 The dates of the last examinations are listed in the table below: