Secondary Education Applied Certificate (SEAC) Regulations, 2021

L.N. 385 of 2021

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Secondary Education Applied Certificate (SEAC) Regulations, 2021

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5) and 75 (6) of the

Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the University of Malta has promulgated

the following regulations made by the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of

the powers conferred upon it by articles 75 (3) and 79 (b) of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

These regulations may be cited as the Secondary Education Applied

Certificate (SEAC) Regulations, 2021.

SEAC qualifications serve the needs of students who intend to move into the

world of work after compulsory education or who would like to further their studies

in Vocational Institutions.

(1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires –

“Controlled Assessment” means assessment set by MATSEC which may

include written and/or practical tasks as specified in the syllabus. This may be a take-

home assessment or carried out under controlled conditions;

“Coursework” means any type of assessment of candidates set and marked

by the school in accordance with the syllabus that contributes to the final grade/level

awarded for a SEAC qualification;

“Examination” means the Secondary Education Applied Certificate (SEAC)

Examination;

“MATSEC Board” means the Matriculation and Secondary Education

Certificate Examinations Board and its MATSEC Support Unit; and

“Synoptic” means a re-sit assessment which will assess most learning outcomes

of a unit or course.

(2) The MATSEC Board retains to itself the interpretation of the regulations

and syllabuses relating to its examinations.

Applicability

(1) These regulations shall apply to the Examination held from September

2019 onwards.

(2) The Examination shall also be subject to the Conduct of the Matriculation

and Secondary Education Certificate Examinations Regulations, 2013, published as

Legal Notice 132 of 2013, and to any other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-

laws of the University.

Sessions and Time-Tables

There shall be two sessions of the Examination: the Main Session and the

Supplementary Session. There shall also be Coursework as specified in the syllabi

approved by the MATSEC Board and Senate.

Subjects of the Examination

(1) The following core SEAC subjects shall be offered

English and Communication, Maltese for Communication, Mathematics, Science.

(2) The following vocational SEAC subjects shall be offered

Agribusiness, Engineering Technology, Fashion and Textiles, Health and Social

Care, Hairdressing and Beauty, Hospitality, Information Technology, Media Literacy

Education, Retail.

Choice of Subjects

(1) No subject may be taken in any of the Secondary Education Applied

Certificate Examination, the Secondary Education Certificate Examination, and/or

the Matriculation Certificate Examination at Advanced or Intermediate Level in the

same session, except as provided for in paragraph (2) of this regulation.

(2) Candidates shall be eligible to register in the same session as private

candidates for SEC English Language, Maltese, Mathematics and Core Science and

as school candidates for SEAC examinations in the core subjects only.

(3) For SEAC core subjects, candidates are eligible to register for the

Supplementary Session if they do not obtain an MQF level 3 qualification in that

subject in the Main Session.

(4) For vocational SEAC subjects, candidates are eligible to register for the

synoptic assessment if they do not get sufficient marks to pass a Unit as specified in

the SEAC Code of Practice.

Structure of the Examination

(1) The Examination shall consist of Coursework and Controlled Assessments.

(2) Each of the subjects in regulation 6 shall consist of three units: one unit

for each of Years 9, 10 and 11 (Forms 3, 4 and 5) of the secondary schools.

(3) Core SEAC subjects shall be assessed by means of six assessments.

Five assessments shall be set during the course by the school according to the relevant

MATSEC syllabi and guidelines. One assessment shall be a Controlled Assessment at

the end of the course set by the MATSEC Board.

(4) Vocational SEAC subjects shall be assessed annually by means of three

assessments per unit. Two assessments shall be set by the school according to the

relevant MATSEC syllabi and guidelines. The other assessment shall be a Controlled

Assessment set by the MATSEC Board.

(5) For SEAC core subjects, the supplementary assessment shall be a

synoptic assessment covering all three units. The supplementary assessment will be

set at the end of the course. Candidates who do not qualify for an MQF Level 3 in the

Main session will be eligible to sit for the synoptic assessment.

(6) For vocational SEAC subjects, the supplementary assessment shall be

a Synoptic assessment for each unit. Candidates shall be eligible for the Synoptic

assessment only in the year of assessment for that unit. Candidates who do not pass

the Unit following the first Synoptic assessment for that unit may sit for a second

Synoptic assessment in the subsequent supplementary session only.

Levels and Grades

(1) Candidates may qualify for either MQF Levels 1, 2, or 3 in each subject.

The results of candidates who do not achieve at least MQF Level 1 shall remain

unclassified (U).

(2) For core SEAC subjects, Coursework shall be structured at either MQF

Levels 1-2 or at MQF Levels 1-2-3. The Controlled Assessment shall be structured

at either MQF Levels 1-2 or at MQF Levels 2-3.

(3) For vocational SEAC subjects, all the assessment criteria set for MQF

Levels 1, 2 and 3 shall be assessed as specified in the respective MATSEC syllabus.

(4) For core SEAC subjects, candidates are to satisfy the examiners in both

the Coursework and the Controlled Assessment components to obtain MQF Level 1

or higher.

Registration

(1) Only candidates who have completed their secondary education studies

or who attain the age of sixteen by 31 December of the year of certification shall be

eligible for certification.

(2) Registrations for SEAC subjects require confirmation from the

candidates’ school.

(3) Registration for SEAC subjects shall be made by the closing date as

published in the notice for registration when the candidates are commencing studies

at the beginning of Year 9 (Form 3).

(4) Registration for the supplementary session shall be made by the closing date

as published by the MATSEC Board by eligible candidates as stated in regulations 8 (5)

and 8 (6).

(5) Alterations to the application may only be made by the candidates subject

to the same conditions and additional fees applicable for late registration.

(6) Candidates requesting examination access arrangements shall submit

their request at the beginning of Year 9 (Form 3), within the date stipulated by the

MATSEC Board, and must be endorsed by the Head of the candidate’s school and

supported by appropriate medical or other professional evidence in accordance with

the ‘Guidelines to MATSEC Examinations Access Arrangements’.

(7) Candidates are to register for the level (MQF 1-2 or MQF 2-3) of the

Controlled Assessment for SEAC core subjects in Year 11 (Form 5) within the date

stipulated by the MATSEC Board.

(8) Applications submitted after the closing date but by the published date

for late applications shall be accepted at a fee.

(9) The MATSEC Board may accept registrations at a later date against the

payment of an additional fee at the discretion of the Registrar.

Enquiries upon Results

The marking of papers, the assessment of Coursework, and the results shall

be final and binding on all candidates, and the MATSEC Board shall not, except in its

absolute discretion, enter into correspondence about results with candidates or their

parents or any other person.

Appeals

(1) For SEAC core subjects, candidates who are not satisfied with the final

result awarded to them in any of the subjects may request a review of the Controlled

Assessment by a Reviser appointed by the MATSEC Board within the period specified

and against a fee as determined by the MATSEC Board.

(2) For SEAC vocational subjects, candidates who are not satisfied with the

result awarded to them in any of the units may request a review of their assessment by

a Reviser appointed by the MATSEC Board, within the period specified and against

a fee as determined by the MATSEC Board.

(3) The revised result shall be final.

Certificates

(1) A certificate per session showing the level obtained in each subject shall

be issued once only to candidates who qualify for MQF Level 1, 2, or 3.

(2) An authenticated copy of the result may be obtained from the MATSEC

Support Unit against a fee as determined by the University.

Conduct during the Examination

The conduct of the examination will be regulated by the SEAC Code of

Practice, in force at the time, as approved by the MATSEC Examinations Board

and Senate, as well as The Conduct of the Matriculation and Secondary Education

Certificate Examinations Regulations, 2013, published as Legal Notice 132 of 2013

and any statutory or regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, substituting,

replacing, supplementing or interpreting Legal Notice 132 of 2013.

Coursework

(1) Assessment of Coursework shall only be accepted from schools approved

by the MATSEC Board.

(2) It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that the coursework is in

conformance with the relevant syllabi.

(3) Coursework must be available for moderation/external verification as

and when requested by the MATSEC Board.

(4) Assessment of Coursework shall only be accepted if the Coursework is

designed and marked as per MATSEC syllabi.

(5) The Coursework assessment results awarded by the candidates’ schools

must reach the MATSEC Support Unit by the date specified by the MATSEC Board.

(6) The MATSEC Board reserves the right to adjust the submitted coursework

marks in order to reflect the expected SEAC standards determined by the relevant

syllabi.

(7) For SEAC core subjects, Coursework assessment results shall be retained

for subsequent sessions unless the respective syllabus states that the set Coursework

is no longer valid.

(8) For vocational SEAC subjects, the assessment results of the application

criteria assessed in coursework shall be retained for subsequent supplementary

sessions unless the respective syllabus states that the set Coursework is no longer

valid.

Examination Materials

(1) Scientific and mathematical formulae shall be provided by the MATSEC

Board, where appropriate.

(2) All work in connection with the Examination, including written work and

Coursework, is to be available on request by the MATSEC Board until the issue of

the certificate.

Examination Access Arrangements

Examination access arrangements shall be given to candidates in accordance

with the ‘Guidelines to MATSEC Examinations Access Arrangements’.

Quality of Language

Candidates are expected to bear in mind the necessity for good expression

and orderly presentation.

Language of Examination

The language/s in which the questions are set shall be indicated in the

syllabus of each subject. Candidates are required to answer in the language the

questions are set, unless otherwise specified.

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