Blog

1. Introduction​

All examinations are conducted in accordance with the guidelines for the administration and management of examinations in Zambia. The Senior Secondary School Syllabi are designed as a three-year course, covering Grades 10, 11 and 12. For the purposes of the examinations at the end of Grade 12, learners should have been given the opportunities to learn as described in the curriculum for each subject. It is the aim of the Grade 12 Senior Secondary School Examination (School Certificate) to provide a national, standardised assessment of the extent to which learners have acquired the competencies, knowledge, understanding and skills described in the curriculum documents. Therefore, the assessment objectives at School Certificate level are:

(i) certification of learners’ achievements in Grades 10, 11 and 12;

(ii) placement to tertiary education institutions;

(iii) employment.
It is also true that if properly analysed, the examinations provide an opportunity to collect information on learning outcomes for educational diagnostic research. This empirical evidence supports analyses and reports designed to improve teaching and learning.

2. Certificate and Grade Classification​

2. 1 Subject Grade Classification for School Certificate

Scores for different paper components of subjects examined at this level are added to create a subject total mark, which is weighted out of 100%. The scores are later processed and graded using the set cut scores of a pass, credit, merit and distinction following set benchmarking standards and procedures.
A candidate is considered to have passed a subject if he/she has a minimum score of 40%. To be awarded a School Certificate, the conditions must be satisfied in one sitting.

2.2 Awarding Process of School Certificate

Candidates shall follow either the academic or the vocational career  pathway, as stated in the revised Senior Secondary School Curriculum. The award of a School Certificate shall follow the existing rules:
• Candidates are required to enter for a minimum of six (6) subjects and maximum of nine (9) subjects.
• To qualify for the School Certificate, candidates must reach a satisfactory general standard as judged by the performance as follows:
• Pass in at least six subjects, including English Language, with a credit in at least one of them.
Or
• Pass in five subjects, including English Language, with credit in at least two of them.
• Certification will not to be issued basing on career pathway.

The following are the grading criteria for the Grade 12 School Certificate and General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level:

Mark:         Grade:      Status:
75-100        1            Distinction
70-74          2            Distinction
65-69          3            Merit
60-64          4            Merit
55-59          5            Credit
50-54          6            Credit
45-49          7            Satisfactory
40-44          8            Satisfactory
0-39            9            Unsatisfactory

For example, if the candidate has the following scores:

Mark:           Grade:          Status:
English              1             Distinction
Maths                4             Merit
Biology              5             Credit
Civics                 4             Merit
Accounts           1            Distinction
Commerce        1            Distinction
Science              6             Credit
RE                       5             Credit

The above candidate will be awarded a School Certificate as they have passed in English Language plus five other subjects.

The raw scores are later processed and graded using the set cut scores of credit, merit and distinction following set benchmarking standards and procedures.

ECZ has sound and well-established procedures for international benchmarking standards in the processing and certification of examinations. ECZ follows all procedures to ensure fairness in the conduct of assessments.

A General Certificate of Education (GCE) is awarded to candidates who have passed in one or more subjects but fail to satisfy the above conditions.

Candidates need to pass subjects from three groupings. The subject groupings at School Certificate level are:

Group 1: English Language (1121)

Group 2: Literature in English (2011 ), Civic Education (2030), History (22167), Religious Education (2044), Religious Education (2046), Geography (2218).

Group 3: French (3016), Lunda (3147), Luvale (3148), Kiikaonde (2149), lcibemba (3153), Chitonga (3154), Cinyanja (3156), Silozi (3160), Chinese, Portuguese.

Group 4: Mathematics (4024), Additional Mathematics (4030).

Group 5: Agricultural Science (5037), Physics (5054), Chemistry (5070), Biology (5090), Science (5124).

Group 6: Musical Arts Education (6020), Design and Technology (6045), Fashion and Fabrics (6050), Food and Nutrition (6065), Home Management (6075), Physical Education and Sports (6080).

Group 7: Computer Studies (7010), Commerce (7100), Principles of Accounts (7110).

3 Accessibility ​

Access arrangements are pre-examination arrangements made on

Behalf of a candidate with a particular need. The purpose of access arrangements is to remove any unnecessary barriers to the standard assessment, without compromising the competence being tested. Access arrangements allow for fair access to assessment and maintain the integrity of the qualification. Test design access features include the use of illustrations, highlighting such as bold, underlining and italics to draw the candidate’s attention to key information.

Access arrangements are provided only for learners with special educational needs as follows:

1.    Hearing impaired candidates are provided with sign language experts used as invigilators to explain instructions and interpret it into sign language. These experts are not allowed to explain to the candidates what the question demands of them as this would amount to examination malpractice.

2.   Visually impaired candidates are provided with modified papers with no visual information. Additionally, examinations are transcribed into braille for the blind and large font print for those with poor vision. Readers

and scribes may be allowed to help candidates in this category of impairment.

3.    Physically impaired candidates need access to special examination rooms to accommodate their needs. Depending on the severity of the impairment, scribes are allowed to help these candidates write the examination.

4.    Candidates with learning difficulties are provided with scribes (cerebral palsy), readers (dyslexia) and additional time.

For all candidates with special educational needs, ECZ requires that a mandatory medical certificate is provided. All categories are eligible

for 25% extra time during the examination. For exceptional cases were examination centres feel that the stated provisions are not sufficient, such centres could write to ECZ requesting for further access arrangements but a medical report needs to support this. Marking of examinations is done

by experts in different categories of impairment. Other special access arrangements could be done at the discretion of ECZ, for example where a candidate is in hospital at the time of the examination.

4. Curriculum Backwash

Examination results are used by teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning processes. Performance review meetings are held where feedback reports and summary statistics are given. Areas and topics of difficulty are identified with a view to improving learning and teaching for attainment of quality education. In addition to feedback reports, ECZ also compiles Chief Examiners Reports, which are sent to schools and other stakeholders.

5. Administration

To sit the Grade 12 examination, candidates are required to register
with an approved Examinations Centre for and on behalf of ECZ within the stipulated time. Candidates who fail the examinations may re-sit
the examinations in the following year. Detailed instructions on the administration of the examinations are contained in the Guidelines for the Administration and Management of Examinations document.