International qualifications 2013 (pdf) - CUKAS

Qualifications currently offered
GRADING SYSTEM
5 Excellent
4 Very good
3 Good
2 Sufficient
1 Fail
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Nine years of primary education (starting at age six), with a
foreign language introduced in year one, are usually followed by
one of the following:
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g
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Four-year grammar schools (gimnazija), which may be
classified as general, linguistic, classical or scientific, with
appropriately different curricula.
Four-year art schools (art and design, music, dance).
Four-year vocational schools (engineering, healthcare,
economics, agriculture, etc).
Three-year vocational schools (industrial, crafts, etc).
Apart from IB programmes, where the language of instruction is
English, the language of instruction in all other schools is
Macedonian.
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission to HE in Macedonia is on the basis of the Secondary
School Leaving Matura exam. The Republic of Macedonia
became a member of the Bologna Process in 2003, having
started with the changes in the higher education system much
earlier in 2000 when the Ministry of Education and Science
passed the new Law on Higher Education. The Law requires
universities to start introducing the ECTS and designing study and
subject programmes according to the principles of the Bologna
Process.
The existing academic degree granted with a diploma was
transformed into a baccalaureus and the programmes were
shortened from four years to around three. The degree granted
with a magisterium is transformed into a master's degree,
achieved after five years of study. Medicine and medicine related
studies still last six or five years. The degree of doktorat (PhD,
dr.sc.) remains but it can be received after three more years, i.e.
eight years in total: three years (bachelor’s or baccalaureus) +
two years (master’s) + three years (doctor of science or doktor na
nauki).
Malawi
EVALUATION
Malawi Junior Certificate Examination (JCE)
Considered to be below GCSE standard.
Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE)
Acceptable at grades 1–6 in lieu of GCSE (grades A, B, C) on a
subject for subject basis. Would need to be supplemented by GCE
A levels, Scottish Highers or Advanced Highers, or a bridging course.
GRADING SYSTEM
Mark Grade Comments
1 – 2 A Distinction
3 – 4 B Credit
5 – 6 C Credit
7 D Ordinary Pass
8 E Ordinary Pass
9 F Fail
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Education is not compulsory in Malawi. Primary education starts
at age six and lasts for eight years, during which the media of
instruction are Chichewa and English. It culminates in the Primary
School Leaving Certificate. Malawi introduced free primary
education, which makes primary education mandatory, though
there is no law that enforces this.
Secondary education takes four years, the first two years of
which are spent preparing for the Malawi Junior Certificate
Examination (JCE). Students who pass this examination may
continue their secondary education with a further two years’
study. Secondary school culminates with the Malawi School
Certificate of Education (MSCE).
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission to the University of Malawi and the University of Mzuzu
is based on the Malawi School Certificate of Education with six
subject passes with an aggregate score of at least 50%,
including English language. In addition, applicants to the
University of Malawi are required to pass a university entrance
examination. Holders of the Cambridge Higher School Certificate
(British A level), with at least three C grade passes may be
admitted with one year of advanced standing into four-year
general degree courses. Those with good IGCSE qualifications
with at least six C grade passes are admitted into the first year of
general degree courses.
Malaysia
EVALUATION
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM/Certificate of Education)
Acceptable at grades 1–6 in lieu of GCSE grades A – C on a
subject for subject basis (before 2010).
Acceptable at grades A+ to C in lieu of GCSE grades A – C on a
subject for subject basis (from 2010 onwards).
Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)
Offered by the Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary
Schools system. Widely recognised as being acceptable at grades
1–6 in lieu of Scottish Highers on a subject for subject basis
(except English language).
Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM/Malaysia Higher
School Certificate)
Acceptable at grades A to C in lieu of GCE A level on a subject for
subject basis.
See also Overseas Examinations of UK Awarding Bodies
(Appendix A).
INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS 39