Certifi cate ":xa mlnations Regula tions, 1996

EI>UCA TION ACf

(CAP. 321)

The Conduct of th e Matriculation and Second ar y Education

Certifi cate ":xa mlnations Regula tions, 1996

IN exercise of the powers conferred by upon him by sections 30

(5) and 3 1(6) of the Education Act (cap. 327), the Chancellor of the

Uni versity of Malta hM promUlgated the following regulations made

by the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the powers conferred

upon it by sections 31 and 35 of the said Act

C itat ion

I . These regulations may be cited as the Conduct o f the Matriculation and

Secondary Educaiion Cert ificate Examinations Regulations, 1996.

Dawn ir-regolamentijistghujissejhu r-Regolamenti ta' 1-19% ghat-Tmexxija

ta' I-Eiamijiet taI-Matrikola u tac-Certifikat ta' l-Edukazzjoni Sekondarja.

Generali

(I ) These regulations shall appl y to the Matriculation Examination at

Ad va nced and Intermedilltc Levels and to the Secondary Education Certificate

Examin ation run by the Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate

Examinations Board (MATSEC Board) aod Support Unit , as provided in Statute 4 of

the University of Malta .

In addit ion to these regulations. the Regu lations for the Matriculation

(2)

and for the Secondary Education Certificate Examinations published each year shall

apply.

S ubjed Commil teu

( I) A Subject Committce shall be established for each subject or group of

subjects offered with in the Matriculation Examination at Advanced and Intermediate

Levels and the Secoodary Education Certificate Examination.

(2)

Each Subject Committee shall consist of

(a)

a Syllabus Pane l, appointed for a period of two years

(b)

a Paper Setters' Panel. appointed for a period of one year; and

(c)

a Markers' Panel. appointed fOf" a period of one year.

(3) The appointment of persons on these Panels may be renewed.

B

Composition of Subject Committees

A Syllabus Panel shall be composed of a number of

4 . (I)

Syllabus Panel

academic staff o f the Univcl1Iity • the Depanmenl of Education and the Private Schools'

Association as appropriate. chosen for the expertise they can offer 10 a Syllabus Panel

and after consultation with the bodies concerned. One of the members shall take the

chair.

In the case of the Secondary Education Certificate Examination

(2)

(a) the number o f academic staff of the University shall , as far as possible,

not exceed half the total number of members of the Panels; and

(b) the number of Syllabus Paneis chaired by members of the academic

staff of the University shall not exceed half the number of paDCis.

A Paper Setters' Panel shall be composed of at

(3)

Paper Setters' Panel

least two and at most three members, one of whom shall take the chair. In exceptional

circumstances, an additional member may be appointed. The Panel shall be appointed

by the Council of the University on the advice of the MATSEC Board and Senate.

(4) Markers' Panel: A Markers' Panel shall becomposed of at least three

members,one of whom shall take thechair. The Panel shall be appointed by the Council

of the University on the advice of the MA TSEC Board and Senate. Additional markers

may be appointed if the number of candidates registered for the examination in a

panicular subject warrant it.

Role of Subject Committees

(I) Syllabus Panel: A Syllabus Panel shall be mainly responsible for

encouraging curriculum development in schools and for the drawing up of a syllabus

in the subjeclls for which it is appointed. Such a syllabus shall be submitted for approval

to the MATSEC Board and Senate and shall nonnally be published each year and at

least two yean; before the date of the eumination to which it refers.

(2) Paper Setters' Panel: A Paper Setters' Panel shall be responsible for

the preparation of the examination papers and a mark scheme in its subject or subjects

for each session of the examination. 'The examination papers mUSl meet the requirements

and assessment objectives and must cover the subject content specified in the syllabus.

Theexamination papers mUSl be submitted to the Registrarofthe University for printing

by.nO( later than three weeks before the respective examination is due.

B ""

(3)

Markers' Panel

Members of any Markers' Panel shall be responsible

for the marking of the examination scripts, allotted to them by the person chairing the

Panel, according to the mark scheme agreed to by the Paper Seuers' Panel. The person

chairing the Panel shall not mark any scripts but shall read a representative sample and

shall act as moderator to ensure that aJlthc markers are adhering to the same standards.

In subjects where assessment by teachers is provided for, Marken' Panels may take

into accoun t assessme nts of projects, assignments and oral proficiency submitted by

authorised teachers. approved by the MATSEC Board , accordi ng to procedures

established by that Board. Un less otherwise provided in the relevant syllabus, the marks

obtained for a first session project or assignment may remain the marks applicable for

su bsequent sessions of the examination. When necessary, a member of the Markers'

Panel may be designated moderator of the marks awarded by authorised teachers.

Eligibility to sit on Paper Selten' and Marken' Panels

(I) Members of Paper Setters' and Markers' Panels shall not be eligible to

take part in the worki ngs of a Panel for a panicular session of examinations if

(a) they are related to a candidate by consanguinity or by affi nity 10 the

third degree inclusive; or

(b) they have been, at any time during the twelve months before the

examination concerned, guardians of a candidate; or

(c) they have been, at any time during the twelve months before the

examination concerned, teachers of any o f the candidates in the subject of

examination or a closely related subject; or

(d) they have given, at allY time during the twelve months before the

examination concerned, private tuition in the subject of examination or a closely

related subjeet.

(2) Members of Paper Sellers' and Markers' Panels shall be required to

sign a declaration, after having seen the list of the candidates registered for the

examination in a panicular subject, confinning that they are not disqualified from

taking part in the workings of the panel under any of the foregoing provisions of this

regulation.

(3) The Rector, after consultation with the person chairing the Panel. shail

appoint another paper setter or marker in place of a member who is disqualified as

aforesaid.

(4) Where the member to be replaced is the person chairing the Panel. the

Rector shall appoint a paper seller or marker already on the panel to assume that role

and such substitute members as may be necessary.

B ""

Procedures of Subject Committees

( I )

Syllabus, Paper Setters' and Markers ' Panels shall determine the

procedures to be adopted by them.

(2)

Dedsions of Paper Setters' and Markers' Panels shall be taken by a

majority of votes. No member may abstai n from vOling. In the case of an equali ty of

votes the member in the chair shall have an d shall cast a second vote

Provided that the member in the chair may consider a decision to have been

laken on any matter j { the general consensus among the members appears to him to be

in favour of such a decision and no vote is asked for .

(3) Members of Paper Setters' and Markers' Panels shall treat as confidential

everything connec ted with the proceedings of their work. They shall take all necessary

precautions to preven t leakage of information on the question papers, mark schemes

and examination scri pts to third parties.

(4) Membersof a Markers' Panel shall be requ ired to attend a Standard ising

Meeti ng al which the marking shall be discussed. Such meeting shall be held soon

after the examination in the wriuen papers in a subject has taken place and before

mark ing begins.

Members ofMarlrers' Panel s must finish thc:i r work by the date specirted

( 5)

by the member chai ri ng the Panel. In the event of illness or other emergencies, the

MATSEC Support Un it must be informed so that alte rn ative arrangements can be

made.

The members of a Markers' Panel shall prepare a brief report on the

(6)

performance of the candidates whose scripts they ha ve marked, im med iately after they

have completed their mark ing. These repons shall be submi tted 10 the memberchairing

the Pane l who will take them into account when compiling a report on the examinations

hc ld du ring a year for submission to the MATSEC Board, Senate and schools. The

report shall seek to present a balanced pieture and shall include such comments as will

be of value and interest to teachers in the subject.

Fees payable 10 S ubject Committees

Members of the three panels forming a Subject Committee shall be entitled

to a fee , as established by the Council of the University.

Revision of Examination Pape rs

(1) Candidates who are not sat isfied that the grade awarded to them in any

subject represents thei r performance during an examination may request a rev ision of

thei r exami nation papers.

(2) Such requests must be made to the Registrar, on the fonn provided by

him and accompanied by the established fee , wi thin the period indicated in a notice to

be issued soon after the publication of the resu lts. In cases where the revision of

examination papers results in a revised grade, the fee paid shall be refunded to the

candidate.

The rev ision of examination papers shall be made by the ori ginal

(3)

Markers' Panel together with an additional marker to be appointed by the Rector on

behalf of Senate and on the recommeDdation of the membe r chairi ng the Markers'

Panel,

Return of Candida tes' Work

10, ( I) Candidates' work (projects, reports and other work) presented for

assessment shall be returned by the MATSEC Support Uni t after each session of

examinations. Written scripts and practical work carried out within the formal

examination shall be n:tained by the MATSEC Board,

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ppreientat ghal valutazzjoni ghandu jigi moghli lura mis-Support Unit tal·MATSEC

wara kull sessjoni ta' I-d:amijiet. Skrini bil-mikrub II xoghol prattiku . li sat Ii hdan 1-

eiami formali.jini.amm mill· Bord tal-MATSEC.