Independent schools exit exams set for May 27

The Evaluation Institute of the Supreme Education Council is set to administer the annual Qatar Senior School Certificate (QSSC) exit examinations for twelfth graders from May 27 to June 8, 2010 in all the independent schools across the country. The QSSC is the official national certificate issued to students on completion of Grade 12 studies at independent schools in Qatar. It is endorsed and approved by the Secretary-General of the SEC.

Pilot tests are currently underway to help prepare the students for the main exams at the end of this month. Schools have been given the opportunity to conduct the pilot tests according to their educational plans but between April 28 and May 20, 2010. In addition, the Institute urged the schools to release the results of the experimental tests so as to analyze and identify the academic levels of students and projected scores for the results of the main test among other aspects.

“The new system has been designed to reflect the best of educational and assessment practices. It recognizes the importance of school-based learning and assessment but is designed to ensure that students are treated fairly and comparably,” said Adel Al Sayed, director of the Evaluation Institute. “Moreover, it reflects the key pillars of Qatar’s educational reform: allowing for educational variety and school autonomy whilst ensuring sound accountability.”

The tests measure what the students have gained and learned, through “external tests” administered by the Evaluation Institute, and “internal assessment activities” administered by the teacher under the supervision of the school, to ensure constructive and comprehensive assessment

This year, the students’ skills and abilities will be tested in eight content areas - Islamic Studies, Social Sciences, Arabic Language, English as a Second Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Each subject will have a minimum pass level and students are required to pass all subjects to obtain a secondary school certificate.

Both Mathematics and Science tests will be in English, including Arabic translation, and the answer will be in the language the student chooses on the side of the questions paper written in English. The test includes multiple choice questions as well as essay questions and questions that require short answers, depending on the nature of the subject. Duration of each test is four hours. The internal assessments will include three tests (multiple choice, short answers and essay answers) and one research project.

The compilation and constituent parts of the certificate are subject to rigorous quality control procedures. The information it contains is based on sound educational assessment and measurement practices. It combines information from comprehensive authentic school-based assessments and standardized external tests in ways that ensure that both contribute substantially and properly to the student’s final results. All information is verified by the SEC and, where appropriate, the student’s school.