International qualifications 2013 (pdf) - CUKAS

Qualifications currently offered
secondary specialised education. Specialised education courses
last between two and four years, on completion of which,
students are awarded the Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom
Obrazovanii (Diploma of Specialised Secondary Education).
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
HE is provided at universities, polytechnics/technical institutes etc
– 147 overall as of 1 March 2012. Admission to HEIs (VUZ) in
Kazakhstan is based on the results of Unified National Tests
(described above) and the completion of secondary education or
the equivalent vocational/specialist training.
Under the former system, the initial qualification, Diplom, was
usually completed in five years. Under the new system, a
Bakalavr (bachelor’s) degree is awarded after four years of study
(142-148 credits). Master’s degrees are awarded following a
further one to two years of study (36 to 47 credits) depending on
the subject. For technical/engineering courses, the higher
education degree is often called Diploma-Specialist and takes five
years to complete. Medical courses are six years long, and the
Diploma-Specialist is also awarded. This is usually followed by
one year of clinical Ordinatura (practice), which, together with
Diploma-Specialist, gives the right to work as a doctor. A PhD is
normally three years and is equivalent to 66 credits.
Kenya
EVALUATION
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
Considered to be between GCSE and GCE A level provided a pass
of C or above is achieved.
See also Overseas Examinations of UK Awarding Bodies
(Appendix A).
GRADING SYSTEM
A, 12
A- 11
B+, 10
B, 9
B- 8
C+, 7
C, 6
C- 5
D+, 4
D, 3
D- 2
E 1
EDUCATION SYSTEM
A system culminating in A levels was discontinued in 1989. The
main structural changes were to extend primary education by one
year to eight years (completed about aged 14) and to reduce
secondary education from six to four years. The medium of
instruction is English. The Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education (KCSE), which is administered by the Kenya National
Examination Council (KNEC), is sat in the fourth year of secondary
education. The examination is taken in seven subjects.
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Access to HE in Kenya is on the basis of the KCSE examinations.
The overall minimum grade required for admission is C+.
Admission is regulated by an aggregate of points accumulated
from specified subject clusters appropriate to the intended
degree course. Points are awarded for four subjects on a scale of
A12 ... C+ 7 ... E 1. Cut-off points scores vary from 31 for the
Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), a four-year general degree, to
47 for the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery or the Bachelor of
Pharmacy. Admission to non-university HE studies is on the basis
of KCSE for post-secondary programmes. Apprenticeship
programmes are organised by industries for their employees.
Progression depends on passing a government trade test at
various levels.
Korea (South)
EVALUATION
Ilbankye Kodung Hakkyo (General High School Diploma)
Considered to be between GCSE and GCE A level standard. Those
students with grades above ‘mi (70–79)’ may be considered for
admission to access or foundation level programmes.
Within academic high school education, there are specialised
high schools for talented students in arts, sports, or foreign
languages, which are called arts high school, physical education
high school, and foreign language high school respectively. These
schools set higher entry requirements and higher-standard
education in the academic or practical area is provided.
Considered to be equivalent to GCE A level and students with
above ‘mi’ may be considered for direct admission to first degree
in relevant subjects.
Silopkye Kodung Hakkyo (Vocational High School Diploma)
Acceptable in lieu of BTEC First Diploma or NVQ level 2.
GRADING SYSTEM
A (soo)
90% or above
B (woo) 89 – 80
C (mi) 79 – 70
D (yang) 69 – 60
E (ga) below 60
There is no universal grading system in Korea. Assessment
depends on the individual school and may use grades and/or
percentage marks.
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Korea has a 6+3+3+4 system of primary, lower secondary,
upper secondary and HE, the first nine years being compulsory. A
National Curriculum covers the 10 years from primary to the first
year of upper secondary education. The medium of instruction is
Korean, but English is a compulsory subject from the third year of
primary school.
Upper secondary education is divided into four streams:
academic, vocational, science and specialist. Vocational high
school students can request academic classes be arranged for
college entrance. On successful completion of academic high
school, students are awarded the High School Diploma. Academic
high school students must take all National Curriculum subjects
plus elective subjects, which make up a minimum total of 204
units.
Vocational high school students take general academic subjects
plus vocational subjects, and are awarded the Vocational High
School Diploma upon completion.
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Entry to a four-year first degree course in Korea is based on
the applicant’s high school transcript and results of the national
College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), but the ratio of each
element for student selection depends on the individual
institution’s decision. The subject areas of the newly revised
CSAT consist of Korean language, mathematics, foreign
34 INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS