 | This article may be confusing or unclear to readers.(March 2023) |
The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It began in the United Kingdom and has been adopted, often with modifications, in several other countries.
In the United Kingdom, it was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth and academically rigorous A-Level (Advanced Level) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Those three jurisdictions replaced O-Level gradually with General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) completely by 1988 and, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) over time. The Scottish equivalent was the O-grade (replaced by the Standard Grade).
The AO-Level (Alternative Ordinary Level) was formerly available in most subject areas. Sometimes incorrectly known as the Advanced Ordinary Level, the AO-Level syllabus and examination both assumed a higher degree of maturity on the part of candidates, and employed teaching methods more commonly associated with A-Level study. The AO Level was discontinued, with final qualifications awarded in 1988. [1]
The O-Level qualification is still awarded by CIE Cambridge International Examinations, the international counterpart of the British examination Board OCR (Oxford, Cambridge & Royal Society of Arts), [2] in select locations, instead of or alongside the International General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications. Both CIE and OCR have Cambridge Assessment as their parent organisation. [2] The Cambridge O-Level has already been phased out and is no longer available in certain administrative regions. [3]
There are some differences between O levels and IGCSE. The lowest achievable grade in O levels is E whereas in IGCSE G is the lowest. O levels curriculum have lesser coursework options than IGCSE [4]
In Bangladesh, the International GCSE (IGCSE) qualification is offered, which is colloquially known as O-Levels, with examinations conducted by Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE) and Pearson Edexcel both under the board of British Council. Both Pearson Edexcel and CAIE offer International GCSE qualifications. O-Level qualification has become a replacement for the matriculation qualification (SSC) offered by the Government boards of education. However, due to the high costs associated with IGCSE qualifications, their reach is limited to middle to elite class families.
In Brunei, the O-Level qualification is offered, with examinations conducted by Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE).
A number of subjects: English Language, English Literature, Bahasa Melayu (Malay language), Malay Literature, Islamic Religious Knowledge, Ulum al-Quran, Hafaz al-Quran, Tafsir al-Quran (Asas), History, Geography, Pure sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), Arabic, Art and Design offer exam papers and syllabuses unique to Brunei. Additionally, the Mathematics (Syllabus D) subject previously offered an exam paper and a syllabus unique to Brunei, but this has since been retired and the regular syllabus used worldwide is offered. This is equivalent to secondary education now.
In India, Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) GCE Ordinary-Level qualifications are offered at private and international schools as an alternative to the conventional Indian School Certificate (ISC). [5] [6]
In Malaysia, the O-Level qualification is offered as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM, Malaysian Education Certificate), with examinations conducted by the Malaysian Examination Syndicate (Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia). The examinations were formerly conducted by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which still advises the national examination board on standards.
The English Language subject was previously offered with an exam paper and a syllabus unique to Malaysia, but this Malaysia-specific qualification has since expired, and the regular English Language exam paper and syllabus used worldwide is now used within the country. The English paper is separately graded by the national examination board and UCLES, and both grades are displayed on the result slip.
In Mauritius, the O-Level qualification is awarded as part of the School Certificate, which is awarded upon successful completion of Form V in secondary school. The O-Level examinations are jointly conducted by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate and the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). The International General Certificate of Secondary Education from Edexcel is also offered as an equivalent alternative qualification, for which exam registration may be done through the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate.
A number of subjects, including English Language, English Language (Syllabus B), History, Mathematics (Syllabus A), Mathematics (Syllabus D), offer exam papers and syllabuses unique to Mauritius. Additionally, the subject of Art and Design, the offering of which is restricted to a limited geographic region, is available in Mauritius.
The GCE O-Level qualification is offered in Pakistan by the CIE and conducted by the British Council. Due to the high costs associated with O Level Schooling, it is mostly opted by privileged citizens. Passing criteria of O levels is to have passes in 8 subjects including Maths, English, Pakistan Studies, Islamiat, Urdu and any three optional subjects. [7] Students can also study more than these 3 subjects.
In Seychelles, the O-Level qualification is offered, with examinations conducted by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Some subjects are unique to Seychelles or have a format, curriculum, or syllabus that is unique to Seychelles.
In Singapore, the O-Level qualification is offered jointly by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and the Singapore Ministry of Education. The examinations are mainly conducted by CIE, with select subject examinations conducted by the Singapore Ministry of Education, including select mother tongue subjects, such as Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, and humanities subject of Social Studies.
A number of subjects previously offered exam papers and syllabuses unique to Singapore, but these have since been retired or planned to be phased out. After taking O-levels, some Singapore students go on to GCE Advanced Level exams, which are also marked by Cambridge International Examinations. In 2027, the O levels as well as the N levels will be phased out for a new local examination known as the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC).
The GCE Ordinary-Level qualification is currently administered by the British Council of Sri Lanka Schools (BCS). [8] In the past, this qualification was jointly offered by Cambridge International Examinations and the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka. The examinations in Sri Lanka are taken very seriously and the exam is considered a starting point to a student's higher education. This is why in recent years Sri Lanka has produced high scoring batches holding this qualification.
The GCE Ordinary-Level qualification is offered by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC). [9] Before, this qualification was jointly offered by Cambridge International Examinations and the Ministry of Education in Zimbabwe.
The O-Level qualification was previously awarded in the Caribbean. However, many Caribbean countries have now switched to awarding Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) qualifications based on successful completion of examinations administered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
The O-Level qualification was previously awarded in Hong Kong, along with the Hong Kong version of the A-Level qualification. However, this was replaced with the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) which was then replaced with the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). The HKCEE was previously benchmarked against the O Levels for comparable subjects, but with the introduction of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) qualification the Hong Kong equivalent qualification was then benchmarked against the IGCSE.
The GCE O-Level qualification originated in the United Kingdom, where it was awarded as the secondary school-leaving qualification. It was primarily an examinations-based qualification, with a grading system that changed over the years. In the United Kingdom, the O-Level qualifications were replaced in 1988 with the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. However, private schools in Scotland often choose to follow the English GCSE system.
The General Certificate of Education (GCE) is a subject-specific family of academic qualifications used in awarding bodies in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Crown dependencies and a few Commonwealth countries. For some time, the Scottish education system has been different from those in the other countries of the United Kingdom.
Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Matriculation examination, is a public examination in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives conducted by educational boards for the successful completion of the secondary education exam in these countries. Students of 10th grade/class ten can appear in these. It is equivalent to the year 10 of the GCSE in England or the first two years of high schools in United States.
An examination board is an organization that sets examinations, is responsible for marking them, and distributes the results. Some are run by governmental entities; some are run as not-for-profit organizations.
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based secondary qualification similar to the GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment. It was developed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. The examination boards Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN), and Oxford AQA also offer their own versions of International GCSEs. Students normally begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 10 and take the test at the end of Year 11. However, in some international schools, students can begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 9 and take the test at the end of Year 10.
The Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) was a subject-specific qualification family awarded in both academic and vocational fields in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. CSE examinations were held in the years 1965 to 1987. This qualification should not be confused with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education which is a school-leaving qualification in India. Also, in some African and former British colonial countries there is a qualification named the Certificate of Secondary Education based on the original and former British variant. Also, the CSE should not be confused with the African qualification CSEE.
The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national examination sat for by all fifth-form secondary school students in Malaysia. It is the equivalent of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) of England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the Nationals 4/5 of Scotland; and the GCE Ordinary Level of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is the leaving examination of the eleventh grade of schooling.
The Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level is a GCE Ordinary Level examination held annually in Singapore and is jointly conducted by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) and the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). Students are graded in the bands ranging from A to F and each band has a respective grade point, a lower grade point indicates poor performance. The number at the end of each grade corresponds to the grade point that they receive. To pass an individual O-Level subject, a student must score at least C6 or above. The highest grade a student can attain is A1.
The A-level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational authorities of British Crown dependencies to students completing secondary or pre-university education. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1951 to replace the Higher School Certificate. The A-level permits students to have potential access to a chosen university they applied to with UCAS points. They could be accepted into it should they meet the requirements of the university.
The Associated Examining Board (AEB) was an examination board serving England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1953 until 2000 when it merged with NEAB to form AQA.
The Midland Examining Group (MEG) was an examination board, operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It offered a range of GCSE and Certificate of Achievement qualifications. It became part of OCR in 1998.
Examination boards in the United Kingdom are the examination boards responsible for setting and awarding secondary education level qualifications, such as GCSEs, Standard Grades, A Levels, Highers and vocational qualifications, to students in the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom School Certificate was an educational attainment standard qualification, established in 1918 by the Secondary Schools Examinations Council (SSEC).
The A-level is a main school leaving qualification of the General Certificate of Education in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is available as an alternative qualification in other countries, where it is similarly known as an A-Level.
The Joint Matriculation Board of the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham (JMB), sometimes referred to as the Northern Universities Joint Matriculation Board, was an examination board, operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland between 1903 and 1992. It became part of NEAB, which itself is now part of AQA.
Additional Mathematics is a qualification in mathematics, commonly taken by students in high-school. It features a range of problems set out in a different format and wider content to the standard Mathematics at the same level.
The School Certificate is an academic qualification in Mauritius awarded upon the completion of Grade 11, the penultimate stage of secondary school. The qualification is awarded upon earning passing marks on the O-level exams administered by the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate, in conjunction with the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate of the Cambridge International Examinations board.
The General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level, also called the O-level or O level, was a subject-based academic qualification. Introduced in 1951 as a replacement for the 16+ School Certificate (SC), the O-level would act as a pathway to the new, more in-depth and academically rigorous A-level, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Later, the complementary and more vocational Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) was added to broaden the subjects available and offer qualifications in non-academic subjects.