Education Minister says phasing out JCE part of reforms: Last JC exams 2016

Minister of Education, Science and Technology , Emmauel Fabiano has said this year’s form two students will be the last to sit for national Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examination as there will be no JCE examination from the  2016/17 academic year.

Fabiano: Reforms
Fabiano: Reforms

Fabiano  told a news conference on Wednesday said the decision to abolish Junior Certificate  and the Malawi Primary School examinations is part of on going Public Reforms  Programmes.

“The last JCE examination to be administered will, therefore, be in 2016 for the current Form 2 students. The Ministry would like all secondary school students to remain in school until they complete Form 4 when they will sit for the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.

“Successful candidates shall be awarded an MSCE Certificate as is the case now while the unsuccessful candidates shall be awarded a Certificate of Completion which will recognize the fact that the owner of the certificate went through and completed secondary education,” said Fabiano.

“The emphasis here is on knowledge, skills and values acquired by secondary school students and not the number of public examinations passed. It should be understood that the only reason we send children to school is for them to learn and acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes as set out in the curriculum.  Examinations are part of the learning process but are not the main objective of education,” he said.

According to the Minister, examinations are not the main objective of education; children are send to school to learn and acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes as set out in the curriculum.

“The Ministry would like to promote the practice of continuous assessment from Form1 through to Form 4 in order for schools to thoroughly cover the Curriculum as opposed to the current practice which is, to a greater extent, examination oriented as both students and teachers focus much on JCE examination results rather than acquisition of knowledge, skills, values  and positive attitudes.  In fact, most of Term 3 of Form 2 is spent on preparing for JCE examinations and not learning for understanding,” reads the statement.

In order to promote continuous assessment, the ministry will strengthen the cluster examination system which will be used as part of secondary school teacher development activity and students learning hubs in line with its plans.

“Therefore, instead of having Junior Certificate Examinations, students will sit for Cluster Based Examinations.  Since the Ministry wishes to promote acquisition of knowledge, skills, values and positive attitudes by students as opposed to simply pass examinations, secondary schools shall have the responsibility to encourage students that are struggling with their studies in Forms 1, 2 and 3 to benefit from remedial classes or to repeat the year before proceeding to the next class (Forms 2, 3,4)”.

“Cluster management teams shall be responsible for setting and marking cluster based examinations within each cluster.  Therefore, instead of having Junior Certificate Examinations, students will sit for Cluster Based Examinations.” said Fabiano.

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Simie
Simie
8 years ago

E esh…..mwana nsikana kukafika form 4(msce) at least jce inali sefa!!

Tiko
Tiko
8 years ago

DO education studies and you will understand what Fabiano is saying. sizachilendo. Bishop mackenzie, st Andrews , Kamuzu Academy and over 90% of schools in other countries alibe malire ngati a JCE. Kungoti there is need to change the mind set of the implementers; the teachers. and this works well if the teachers were involved right on the on set. Once the teachers resist this change, the whole programme will flop. Unfortunately thus not how people in the higher office at capital hill work , although they know it very well how it is supposed to be done. I have… Read more »

Wife
Wife
8 years ago

What A foolish Idea

Bzo-bzo
8 years ago

a Fabiano mkuziwa kuti JC imakhala ngat sefa, imasefa mbuli zooonse! nkukhala oyenerera kukalemba MSCE chifukwa kumapezeka kuti ma students ena sakuthankuwerenga komwe so without JC ndekuti makolo sakhala akuziwa poor performance ya mwana at the end nothing during MSCE even reapiting many times

Chidzukulu
Chidzukulu
8 years ago

Boma la DPP ndimalikonda koma apa zanyanya. Sindingaangjre mwina koma kulitsika. Ndakwera yophwa matayala ndithu. A Fabiano zoona? Kodi school anakuphunzitsani makolo anu aja ndi imeneyi? Mukupheranji ana a eni?

chingolopiyo
chingolopiyo
8 years ago

Well explained Honourable Minister. Lets follow British system. Children should do more on class work, than wasting time on the examination and qualification that has no value to the modern time. Those opposing,for sure there is something wrong with them. If we are to move forward, our education system has to change. Dissolve JCE and introduce A level so that those who have done well should go for A levels before entering the university. Our education system needs total overhaul. The world is moving forward , why should we be remaining behind clinging to things that will not help the… Read more »

Joe
Joe
8 years ago

Doing away with JCE shall impart laziness in students. Please my beloved minister think twice in your decision. Let the old time system prevail and alter nothing.

Tili Chenene
Tili Chenene
8 years ago

Mine is an official concern; the necktie put on the Minister is not fit for the whole Minister who is a doctor. Ndapanga manyazi

Dausi Phiri
Dausi Phiri
8 years ago

Another cash gate in disguise.JC was meant to assess the knowledge and capability of children in schools.With the current system possibility of having children going up with very little knowledge will be very high

Happy Ntunda
8 years ago

The world is moving forwad,so we should not left behind.JCE demands alot of money from goverment like paying the makers and the like,yet today that certificate is nothing.Loosing something to nothing,lets wake up malawias the goverment is in needy of money,so is not wise to keep on wasting money isteady of helping our land’s improvement.

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