SECONDARY EDUCATION APPLIED CERTIFICATE (SEAC) REGULATIONS

CERTIFICATE (SEAC)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.670

SECONDARY EDUCATION APPLIED CERTIFICATE

(SEAC) REGULATIONS

13th October, 2021

LEGAL NOTICE 385 of 2021.

These regulations may be cited as the Secondary

Education Applied Certificate (SEAC) Regulations.

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.

(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.

There shall be two sessions of the Examination: the Main

Session and the Supplementary Session. There shall also be

CERTIFICATE (SEAC)

Coursework as specified in the syllabi approved by the MATSEC

Board and Senate.

(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.

(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.

(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

CERTIFICATE (SEAC)

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.

(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.

(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

CERTIFICATE (SEAC)

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.

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.

(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.

(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.

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

CERTIFICATE (SEAC)

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.

(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.

(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 shall be given to

candidates in accordance with the ‘Guidelines to MATSEC

Examinations Access Arrangements’.

Candidates are expected to bear in mind the necessity for

good expression and orderly presentation.

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.