Over 3800 students sit for the exit test

At least 3823 secondary schools students began the Qatar Senior School Certificate exams on Thursday, May 27, 2010 in all independent schools. 2169 boys and 1654 girls from 11 boys and 8 girls schools are participating in the QSSC tests which will continue until June 8, 2010. Five of the nineteen schools will be administering the exams for the first time.

The QSSC is the official national certificate issued to students on completion of Grade 12 studies at independent schools in Qatar. 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.

“Students have to pass all the subjects and would need to repeat the year if he/she fails in more than four subjects,” said Adel Al Sayed, the director of the Evaluation Institute.

The QSSC 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. In short, it measures the basic skills and abilities acquired by students during their schooling, and are based on the curriculum standards set by the Supreme Education Council

The external tests prepared by the Evaluation Institute will be allocated 70% while the internal school assessments will be allocated 30% of the total score.