What are the phases of basic education in South Africa? The phases and grades in the Department of basic education – South Africa The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for schooling, from the Foundation Phase which includes pre-schooling Grade 000 to Grade 0, commonly known as Grade R. Schooling is divided into two stages: the General Education and Training (GET) stage which includes Grades R to 9 and the Further Education and Training (FET) stage which includes Grades 10 to 12. The GET stage is then subdivided into three phases: the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3), the Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 to 6), and the Senior Phase (Grades 7 to 9). The DBE shares a concurrent role with the provincial departments for basic schooling, however, it is the responsibility of each provincial department to finance and manage its schools directly. Schooling in South Africa is compulsory for learners aged 7 to 16 years. Primary education last 7 years. Secondary education lasts 6 years. Students can complete the following phases: lower primary education (foundation phase); upper primary education (intermediate phase); lower secondary education (senior phase); and upper secondary education (Further Education and Training, FET). Primary education and lower secondary education are collectively called General Education and Training (GET). Lower primary education Duration i: 4 years (grade 0-3). Grade 0 is also referred to as Reception year or grade R. Content: education in this phase focuses on basic skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the development of language skills. From grade 3 onwards, it is mandatory to take another approved language in addition to their language of education. All 11 official languages may be taken as the home language, first additional language, and second additional language. These terms indicate the various level gradations for languages in the South African education system. Upper primary education Duration: 3 years (grade 4-6). Content: the focus in this phase is more on reading and speaking skills in the home language as well as in the second language. From grade 4 onwards, education is exclusively in English and Afrikaans. The pupils also study mathematics, history, geography, general sciences, and handicrafts. Lower secondary education Lower secondary education lasts 3 years (grades 7-9) and is aimed at students aged 13-15. At the end of this phase, a pupil is no longer required to attend school. Upper secondary education Upper secondary education lasts 3 years (grades 10-12). Students aged 16 to 19 choose: general secondary education, which is concluded with exams for a; or vocational secondary education. Among other things, students can obtain the National Certificate. Because we rarely see vocational secondary education diplomas, we do not describe them on this web page. National Senior Certificate (NSC) General upper secondary education is concluded with exams for a National Senior Certificate (NSC). Duration: 3 years. Inhoud: 7 subjects. Students follow 4 compulsory subjects (2 languages, mathematics, and life orientation) and choose 3 electives. They can choose the electives from a list of nationally approved subjects. The subject life orientation is a compulsory subject, but it does not count as part of the score. The function of the diploma: access to higher education. Diploma: a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with one of the following remarks: NSC with admission to Higher Certificate programs; NSC with admission to (National) Diploma programs; NSC with admission to bachelor’s programs.