Talk:Independent Examinations Board

Formerly Joint Matriculation Board?

I am somewhat doubtful about the claim in this article that the IEB was formerly the Joint Matriculation Board. To my understanding, the Joint Matriculation Board became the HESA Matriculation Board (or technically, the JMB was replaced by the HESA-MB). - htonl 02:12, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Ah, I have more information from [1]: The JMB operated from 1918 to 1992 when it was dissolved. The functions of moderation, examination and certification were transferred to the South African Certification Council – now known as Umalusi – while the function of determining minimum thresholds to degree study was taken over by the Matriculation Board. I don't see how the IEB can formerly have been the JMB, then? - htonl 02:17, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

The word "formerly" may be misleading if the JMB was dissolved and the IEB was subsequently established but it did, as far as I know, replace the JMB exams as an examining authority and most schools that wrote JMB exams changed to IEB. The IEB site used to provide more information on its history but it was omitted in a recent revamp. The only sources I can find are from school websites which mention that the IEB replaced the JMB [2] and that the JMB was the IEB's predecessor [3]. - Raker 06:47, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

I got an older version of their site out of the Internet Archive (at [4]), and this is what it says: [The IEB] was registered in 1988, originally to make up for the loss of the Joint Matriculation Board’s Senior Certificate Examination and deal with the threat of inferior and segregated examinations being imposed by the nationalist government. So maybe it would be more correct for the article to say something like "It was originally created to replace the defunct Joint Matriculation Board, due to fears of interference in examination standards by the apartheid regime." - htonl 18:45, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Edit boldly! Paul Beardsell 01:06, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

The JMB was only dissolved in 1992[5] so the IEB, although registered in 1988 did not replace the JMB then as it was not yet defunct. Besides, the IEB was only fully-fledged from 1996. Also, I don't think there were fears of interference by the apartheid regime from 1988 as apartheid was in decline and certainly dismantled by 1992. This wording also midleads the reader to linking the IEB/JMB with Bantu education. - Raker 10:10, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

It was linked! That was one of the functions of the JMB: To provide a common standard for all the 9 or 13 Education Departments: One for each Province (whites) and one for each other race group or "homeland". Paul Beardsell 10:54, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

In my view this information (i.e. that which can be supported by citation) should be added to the article rather than removing other information (supported by citation). Paul Beardsell 10:20, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

It is important to remember that the JMB issuing its own exmas irritated the four provincial (i.e. White) Education Departments. There were also 9 (or 13) non-white Education Departments. There was always the suspicion that the exams were not equal in difficulty, or that the results were otherwise manipulated to comply with apartheid philosophy and prejudice. Answer this: WHY WAS THE JMB DISSOLVED? That it took some time for the IEB to become fully functional does not contradict what the article said. Paul Beardsell 10:20, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

According to this link http://www.ieb.co.za/news/ieb it states the following

What is the IEB?

IEB stands for the Independent Examinations Board.

It is an assessment body that is accredited by Umalusi, the South African statutory body responsible for quality assurance for school and adult assessments. The IEB offers external assessment in accordance with legislation and Umalusi directives for schools registered with it at Grade 9 and Grade 12, at which point successful learners are awarded the National Senior Certificate and for adult learning from ABET Level One through to NQF Level 1. The IEB training section, ASSET, provides training in assessment.

It also provides additional assessments that complement teaching and learning in schools at other levels.

The term ‘independent’ was very important at the time of the inception of the organisation. In 1989 the Joint Matriculation Board (JMB) relinquished its examination function. At that time the JMB was the only assessment body in South Africa that offered examinations for non-racial schools. To ensure that South Africa still maintained at least one non-racial assessment body at Grade 12 during the time of apartheid, a number of heads at independent schools founded the IEB to assume the assessment function of the JMB.

At that time, the term ‘independent’ emphasised a very important aspect of the work of the IEB, namely being a beacon of opposition to the establishment of the day. Today, the IEB is a recognised player in the South African education landscape, committed to building a robust system for all learners in our country. The significance of its independence now is to provide an alternate voice on curriculum and assessment matters, to contribute positively to debate on educational issues and to provide an approach that ensures that independent schools are accommodated in respect of their needs and desires within the South African education framework, for the greater good of our country. The IEB sees itself as a partner in our country’s education system, supporting that which needs to be supported with whatever we have to contribute, and questioning that which needs to be questioned. As our history would suggest, the IEB supports democratic principles and the rational voice in education.

It is important to note that the IEB is a Section 21 company that has been approved as a public benefit organisation in terms of the Income Tax act. Therefore it has been registered by the Department of Social Development as a non profit organisation. Every product and service rendered must be self sufficient and no subsidy is received by government. Even its directors are not paid a fee to serve the organisation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 197.169.78.142 (talk) 08:12, 21 January 2011 (UTC)