General Certificate of Education Totally Explained

Everything about The General Certificate Of Education totally explained

The General Certificate of Education or GCE is a secondary-level academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary level (O-level) and the Advanced level (A-Level). More recently examination boards also offer an intermediate third GCE level, the Advanced Subsidiary level (AS-level).

History

The GCE was originally introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1951, replacing the older School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC). It was intended to cater for the increased range of subjects available to pupils since the raising of the school leaving age from 14 to 15 in 1947. The examinations were graded into ordinary level for 16-year-olds, and advanced level for 18-year-olds. There was also an intermediate level alternative ordinary level (AO-level) and a higher special paper (S-level). In 1988, GCE O-Levels were phased out in favour of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). GCE A-Levels were retained.

Worldwide use

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, students wishing to attend university in the United Kingdom usually take the British examinations in addition to Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE), despite the equivalent gradings granted by UK universities between the two sets of examinations, for grades attained in the British examination tend to be better. The English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong runs schools that follow the British patterned education, and students take GCSE in Years 10–11 and AS/A Level exams in Years 12–13, although the schools are transitioning to the IB Diploma.

Pakistan, India and Nepal

In Pakistan, India and Nepal A-Levels are becoming more and more popular as opposed to the traditional 10 plus 2s which worked instead of the A-Levels. The main reason for the increasing popularity of A-Levels in developing countries is the emigrating youth to Western European and North American countries .

Malta

In Malta, the British examinations are still very popular, though their popularity has been in decline since the introduction of a similar examination scheme by the University of Malta.

Singapore

Increasingly in Singapore, students who perform well in school are given the option to bypass the O-levels, and take the A-levels instead at the age of 18, in a scheme dubbed the integrated programme (also known as the through-train programme).

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka GCE(O/L) and GCE(A/L) examinations are conducted by the examinations department of the government of Sri Lanka. The GCE(O/L) is normally conducted in the month of December and GCE (A/L)s are conducted in the month of August. They are conducted on an island-wide examination centres on same time. Examination entrance is restricted by a minimal number of formal school going years and laboratory field work. The majority of candidates enter the exams via their respective schools, while candidates who finished schools can also apply as a private candidates.
The O/L examination is regarded as the qualification examination for starting on GCE(A/L). Specialization streaming is depended on the grades obtained for subjects in the O/L. The country's reputed schools admit students to their A/L depending on the O/L grades.
The Sri Lankan University Grants commission determines the cut-off points for the selection of students to the Sri Lankan universities according to the grade points obtained in the A/L examinations, on a Z-score system.

Further Information

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