GED®

The GED® (General Educational Development) is a respected and widely recognised American high school equivalency qualification. It is accepted both internationally and in South Africa as a Grade 12 equivalent and is ideal for learners seeking an alternative to traditional high school pathways.

On successful completion of the GED test series, learners are awarded the GED High School Diploma, confirming that they have met the academic standards required to graduate from high school in the United States.

The GED tests are designed to assess the knowledge and skills expected of a U.S. high school graduate. The tests are fully aligned to Grade 12 college and career readiness standards and assess the following core academic areas:

1. Reasoning Through Language Arts (Reading & Writing)
2. Mathematical Reasoning
3. Science
4. Social Studies

Each section is rigorous and tests a learner’s ability to apply 21st-century skills, including:

1. Critical thinking
2. Problem solving
3. Data interpretation
4. Communication and analytical writing
5. Digital and computer-based literacy

In South Africa:

1. The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has formally evaluated             the GED and found it to be comparable to the National Senior Certificate             (NSC).
2. SAQA has pegged the GED at NQF Level 4 on the National Qualifications              Framework—this is the same level as Grade 12.
3. Learners who complete the GED can apply to SAQA for a Certificate of                      Evaluation, which confirms the GED’s local equivalency. (Separate                           application fees apply.)

The GED is not a matric certificate, but it is a matric-equivalent qualification when evaluated through SAQA.

SAQA has evaluated the GED and found the National Senior Certificate as its closest comparable qualification.

NQA has evaluated the GED and found it to be comparable to a certificate at NQF Level 4.