AFRICA DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Africa Dynamic Development Group (ADG) Moderation Policy

Effective Date: 4 November 2025

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all assessments conducted by Africa Dynamic Development Group (ADG) are fair, valid, reliable, and consistent. Moderation is a critical quality assurance mechanism that verifies the judgments of assessors and upholds the integrity and credibility of our qualifications and certificates.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all summative assessments conducted for full qualifications, part qualifications, and short courses offered by ADG. It is binding upon all registered assessors and moderators involved in the assessment process, whether they are internal staff or contracted via a Service Level Agreement (SLA).

3. Definitions

• Moderation: A process for confirming that assessors are applying assessment criteria consistently and making valid, reliable, and fair judgments.
• Moderator: A person who is registered with the relevant SETA/EQA (Education and Training Quality Assurance body) and is responsible for conducting moderation.
• Assessor: A person who is registered with the relevant SETA/EQA and is responsible for making assessment judgments about a learner’s competence.
• Sample: A representative selection of learner assessments (Portfolios of Evidence) chosen for moderation.

4. Our Moderation Principles

ADG’s moderation system is built on the following principles:

• Impartiality: Moderators must be objective and free from any bias that could influence their judgment.
• Confidentiality: All information relating to learners, assessors, and the moderation process is treated as confidential.
• Systematic Approach: Moderation is conducted according to a pre-defined plan and sampling strategy, ensuring a consistent and transparent process.
• Constructive Feedback: The moderation process is designed to be a developmental tool for assessors, providing clear feedback to enhance the quality of future assessments.

5. The Moderation Process

5.1. Moderation Planning

Moderation is planned for every assessment intake or batch.
The Training Manager is responsible for scheduling moderation activities and assigning a registered Moderator to each assessment event.

5.2. Sampling Strategy

To ensure a representative and effective moderation process, ADG uses the following sampling strategy:

A. For Full Qualifications:
The Moderator will moderate a sample of Portfolios of Evidence (PoEs) based on the total number of learners in the cohort:

B. For Short Courses and Part Qualifications:
The Moderator will moderate a sample of PoEs with the aim of reaching an annual target of moderating at least 10% of the total PoEs submitted for short courses and part qualifications throughout the year.

5.3. Moderation Activity

The Moderator will:

Review the assessment instruments (e.g., tests, assignments, observation checklists).
Review the sampled PoEs to ensure the assessor’s judgments are:

• Consistent: Applied in the same way across all learners.
• Valid: Based on evidence that is relevant to the assessment criteria.
• Reliable: The judgments are sound and can be justified.
• Fair: Free from bias and conducted without prejudice.

Conduct a follow-up interview with the assessor if necessary.

5.4. Moderation Feedback and Reporting

The Moderator will complete a formal Moderation Report for each moderation event.
This report will detail the findings, confirm whether the assessment judgments are confirmed, and provide constructive feedback to the assessor.
The assessor is required to review the report and address any recommendations made by the Moderator.
If significant issues are identified, the Training Manager will implement a corrective action plan, which may include re-training for the assessor or a re-assessment of learners.

6. Responsibilities

• Moderator: Is responsible for conducting moderation in accordance with this policy, completing the Moderation Report, and providing constructive feedback to the assessor.
• Assessor: Is responsible for making fair and consistent judgments, providing all required evidence to the moderator, and responding to feedback.
• Training Manager: Is responsible for the overall management of the moderation system, scheduling moderators, and maintaining the Moderation Register.
• Managing Director: Has ultimate accountability for ensuring the moderation system is effective and that ADG complies with all external moderation requirements.

7. Record Keeping

A central Moderation Register is maintained by the Training Manager. This register logs all moderation activities, including the details of the assessment event, the moderator, the sample size, and the outcomes of the moderation report. All moderation records are retained for a minimum of five years.

8. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this policy or need to lodge a formal complaint or appeal, please contact:

Frans de Beer
Managing Director
Africa Dynamic Development Group (Pty) Ltd
Email: Frans.debeer@adss.co.za
National Call Centre: +27 (0)87 550 1007