Examination board
An examination board, also known as an exam board or awarding body, is an official organization that develops, administers, marks, and evaluates standardized examinations to assess student performance and award qualifications.[1][2][3] These bodies ensure consistency, fairness, and alignment with educational curricula, often handling processes from question paper design to result distribution and certification.[3][4] Examination boards play a pivotal role in national and international education systems by standardizing assessments, and in some systems, approving textbooks and granting affiliations to schools, thereby shaping curriculum delivery and academic outcomes.[4] In the United Kingdom, they originated in the mid-19th century as university-led committees, such as those from Oxford and Cambridge in 1858, to maintain high standards amid industrialization and merit-based selection for professions.[5] Key developments include the introduction of GCE O-levels and A-levels in 1951 following the 1944 Education Act, the unification into GCSEs in 1988, and regulatory oversight by bodies like the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to promote accessibility and criterion-referenced grading.[5][6] Prominent UK examples include AQA, Pearson Edexcel, and OCR, which oversee qualifications like GCSEs and A-levels.[7][8] Globally, examination boards adapt to diverse contexts; for instance, Cambridge International Examinations provides programs for ages 5 to 19 in over 150 countries, emphasizing international standards.[9] In India, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts nationwide exams for secondary and senior secondary levels, serving millions of students across affiliated schools, while state boards like the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board handle regional assessments.[10][11] These organizations collectively support educational equity by facilitating certification for further studies, employment, and professional pathways.List of national examination boards
Australia
In Australia, education is primarily managed at the state and territory level, with no single national examination board overseeing secondary certification. Instead, each jurisdiction operates its own authority responsible for developing curricula, conducting assessments, and issuing Senior Secondary Certificates of Education (SSCEs), which qualify students for tertiary admission or workforce entry. These certificates align with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and incorporate national elements like the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for university entrance, calculated by Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or equivalent bodies based on state assessments.[12] The Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA) promotes consistency across jurisdictions by sharing principles for assessment standards, reporting, and quality assurance, ensuring equitable recognition of qualifications nationwide. Assessments typically combine school-based tasks, external exams, and sometimes practical components, varying by state to reflect local needs while meeting national benchmarks.[12]| State/Territory | Certificate Name | Responsible Authority/Board |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Higher School Certificate (HSC) | NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) |
| Victoria | Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) | Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) |
| Queensland | Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) | Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) |
| Western Australia | Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) | School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) |
| South Australia | South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) | SACE Board |
| Tasmania | Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) | Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) |
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT Senior Secondary Certificate | ACT Education Directorate |
| Northern Territory | Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET) | Department of Education (NT Board of Studies functions integrated) |
China
In China, the education examination system is centrally coordinated by the Ministry of Education (MOE), which sets national standards and oversees major assessments, while administration is largely decentralized to provincial levels. The most prominent examination is the National College Entrance Examination, known as the Gaokao, a high-stakes standardized test taken annually by over 13 million senior high school students to determine eligibility for undergraduate admissions at higher education institutions. The Gaokao is administered by provincial education departments through local examination authorities, such as the Beijing Education Examination Authority, which handle logistics, test security, scoring, and initial admissions recommendations within their regions.[13][14][15] Test papers for the Gaokao are primarily developed by the National Education Examinations Authority (NEEA), a public institution directly under the MOE, for the majority of provinces, ensuring uniformity in core subjects like Chinese, mathematics, and foreign languages while allowing provincial variations in elective components to reflect local curricula. Exceptions include Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, where municipal education commissions independently prepare papers to accommodate regional needs. This structure balances national consistency with provincial autonomy, with the MOE regulating quotas for university admissions based on Gaokao scores to promote equity across socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2024, 13.42 million students registered for the exam; in 2025, 13.35 million students participated, highlighting its scale and societal impact.[16][17][18][19] Beyond the Gaokao, the NEEA administers other nationwide assessments, including the College English Test (CET), a proficiency exam for non-English majors in higher education, and the Test for English Majors (TEM), which evaluates advanced language skills for English majors. These exams support ongoing evaluation in tertiary education and professional certification, with the CET taken by millions of students annually to meet graduation or employment requirements. Provincial authorities also oversee the Zhongkao, the senior high school entrance examination, adapting it to local standards under MOE guidelines to transition junior high graduates to secondary education.[20][21] Reforms since 2014 have aimed to reduce rote learning and enhance fairness, such as introducing subject choice in the "3+1+2" format for the Gaokao in 29 provincial regions by 2025, where students select core subjects plus electives from physics/history and additional options. The MOE enforces strict security measures, including AI surveillance and encrypted deliveries, to prevent cheating, reflecting the exam's critical role in social mobility.[22][23][24]Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) serves as the statutory body responsible for administering public examinations and assessments. Established in 1977 under the HKEAA Ordinance, the HKEAA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that conducts the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), the main qualification for university admission, as well as the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) for primary and junior secondary students to monitor learning standards. It also manages international and professional exams, such as IELTS, GCE, and vocational assessments, in collaboration with over 100 global bodies, serving more than 500,000 candidates annually across diverse programs. The HKEAA emphasizes fairness, security, and alignment with the local curriculum, with reforms like the 2024 Basic Competency Assessment enhancing ongoing evaluation.[25]Philippines
In the Philippines, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) serves as the central national authority for administering licensure examinations across regulated professions, operating through 45 Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs) established under specific laws. These boards exercise administrative, quasi-legislative, and quasi-judicial powers, including the development and conduct of board examinations to ensure professional competence and ethical practice. The PRC, attached to the Department of Labor and Employment, was formalized under Republic Act No. 8981 in 2000, building on earlier frameworks to standardize entry into professions.[26] A key component of this system is the Board for Professional Teachers, which regulates the teaching profession and administers the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT), commonly known as the Teachers Board Exam or LET. Established initially as the National Board for Teachers via Presidential Decree No. 1006 in 1976 under the Civil Service Commission, it was transferred to the PRC through Republic Act No. 7836 (the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994), with the first board constituted in 1995. The board, composed of a chairman and two members appointed by the President, develops the examination content, enforces the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, investigates violations, and issues certificates of registration. The LET assesses candidates' knowledge in general education, professional education, and specialization areas, requiring a general average of at least 75% with no rating below 50% in any subject; it is held twice annually, attracting over 100,000 examinees per cycle in recent years.[27][28] In response to evolving educational needs, the PRC and the Department of Education (DepEd) announced a restructured LEPT in April 2025, effective from September 2025, featuring separate examinations for elementary and secondary levels to better align with the updated Teacher Education Curriculum set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This reform aims to produce more specialized educators, with the elementary exam emphasizing foundational skills and the secondary exam focusing on subject-specific competencies; it includes phased implementation and integration of critical thinking and practical assessments. The board also conducts examinations for school superintendents, first held in 1996, to qualify administrative roles in public education. Note that some September 2025 exams in certain regions were rescheduled to November due to weather.[29][30][31] Beyond professional licensure, national assessments in basic education are managed by DepEd's Bureau of Education Assessment, which conducts tools like the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) for out-of-school youth seeking grade equivalency and the National Achievement Test (NAT) for monitoring student learning outcomes at key stages. These assessments, while not under a dedicated examination board like the PRC's PRBs, support systemic accountability and are administered annually to over 1.5 million students in grades 3, 6, and 10. The National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) further aids career guidance for grade 9 learners. DepEd's role complements the PRC by ensuring foundational education quality before professional entry.[32][33]Poland
In Poland, the external examination system for primary and secondary education is centrally coordinated by the Central Examination Board (Centralna Komisja Egzaminacyjna, CKE), a state institution under the Ministry of Education and Science responsible for preparing, organizing, and overseeing standardized assessments nationwide.[34][35] The CKE develops exam content based on the national core curriculum, ensures uniformity in evaluation standards, and supervises the eight Regional Examination Boards (Okręgowe Komisje Egzaminacyjne, OKE), which handle local implementation.[36][37] The OKEs, located in major cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, and Gdańsk, conduct the practical aspects of examinations, including exam administration, scoring by registered examiners, and issuance of certificates.[36] They also manage appeals processes for exam results and maintain registers of qualified examiners to ensure impartiality and expertise in assessment.[37] This decentralized structure allows for efficient handling of over 300,000 candidates annually for key exams while maintaining national consistency.[38] A primary exam organized by the CKE is the compulsory eighth-grader exam (egzamin ósmoklasisty), taken at the end of the eight-year primary school, assessing knowledge in Polish language, mathematics, and a modern foreign language.[34] Results from this exam, issued by the OKEs, influence admission to upper secondary schools but do not determine promotion within primary education; passing requires at least 30% in each subject, with scores scaled from 0 to 100.[34] Introduced following the 2017 education reform that eliminated the lower secondary school (gimnazjum), this exam serves as a summative evaluation of core competencies.[39] At the upper secondary level, the CKE administers the matura (maturity exam), a nationwide qualification required for high school completion and university admission, comprising written and oral components in compulsory subjects like Polish, mathematics, and a foreign language, plus optional advanced-level exams.[37][38] The written parts are externally assessed by OKEs, with certificates issued upon achieving at least 30% in required subjects; in 2025, approximately 80% of candidates passed all compulsory elements on the first attempt, rising to 86% after retakes.[37][40] For vocational tracks, the CKE and OKEs oversee confirmation exams (egzaminy potwierdzające), practical and theoretical tests validating occupational qualifications after at least two years of training.[41][36] These bodies also facilitate international assessments, such as PISA and TIMSS, by aligning national exams with global standards, contributing to Poland's above-average performance in reading and science literacy among OECD countries.[42] The system's emphasis on external validation promotes equity, with accommodations provided for students with special needs, such as extended time or alternative formats.[37]United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the examination system is devolved across its four nations, leading to distinct regulatory frameworks and awarding bodies for secondary and post-16 qualifications such as GCSEs, A-levels (or equivalents), and vocational assessments. These bodies develop syllabi, set examinations, mark scripts, and award qualifications, ensuring standards are maintained while accommodating regional educational priorities. The system emphasizes comparability across boards within each nation, with oversight from government-appointed regulators to protect public confidence in qualifications.[43] The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), a membership organisation of the UK's largest awarding bodies—including AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR, SQA, and WJEC—coordinates common administrative practices, such as rules for exams and results publication, to streamline processes and respond to policy issues across the nations. This collaboration ensures consistent handling of access arrangements, malpractice investigations, and data sharing, supporting over 90% of general qualifications taken in the UK.[44]England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In England, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) serves as the independent regulator, recognizing and monitoring awarding organisations that deliver GCSEs, A-levels, and technical qualifications. The primary boards include the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), a non-profit charity offering exams to over 92% of UK schools; Pearson Edexcel, operated by the global education company Pearson; and Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR), focused on accessible assessments with resources for teachers. These boards, along with others, operate under strict conditions to ensure fairness, with over one million students sitting AQA exams annually alone. In Wales and Northern Ireland, the same core boards—AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC), and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)—provide qualifications, though regional variations exist; for instance, WJEC delivers bilingual exams in Wales under regulation by Qualifications Wales, while CCEA acts as both regulator and primary awarder in Northern Ireland, integrating curriculum development with assessment.[43][7][45][46][47]Scotland
Scotland maintains a separate system through the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government that accredits and awards all non-degree qualifications, including National Qualifications from National 1 to National 5 (equivalent to GCSEs), Higher, and Advanced Higher levels. The SQA emphasizes inclusive, accessible pathways to learning and employment, with a focus on digital innovation for efficient assessment delivery, and handles results for hundreds of thousands of learners annually. Unlike the modular A-level structure in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Scottish qualifications follow a broader course-based model assessed through exams and coursework.[48][49][50]Singapore
The Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE) responsible for developing, administering, and regulating national examinations in Singapore.[51] Established on 1 April 2004 through the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board Act 2003, SEAB succeeded the Examinations Division of the MOE to enhance operational flexibility, evolve assessment methods, and align examinations with curriculum changes.[51][52] Its primary functions include conducting assessments to evaluate students' proficiency, aptitude, skills, knowledge, and understanding, as well as managing specified national examinations outlined in the Act's schedule.[51] SEAB also provides quality assessment services beyond national exams, such as advisory roles in educational assessments, and collaborates with international partners to maintain high standards.[53][54] SEAB oversees key national examinations that serve as critical milestones in Singapore's education system, determining progression from primary to secondary and pre-university levels. These include the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), taken by students at the end of primary education to assess readiness for secondary school; the GCE Normal (Technical) [N(T)]-Level and Normal (Academic) [N(A)]-Level exams for secondary students in the Normal stream; the GCE Ordinary Level (O-Level) for Express and Normal (Academic) stream students; and the GCE Advanced Level (A-Level) for pre-university candidates.[55][56][57] The PSLE, introduced in 1960, evaluates core subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, and Mother Tongue languages, while the GCE examinations—jointly conducted with Cambridge Assessment International Education—are recognized internationally and cover a broad syllabus including humanities, sciences, and languages.[58][57] In addition to examination administration, SEAB ensures integrity through rules on conduct, approved materials like calculators, and secure processes for result publication and certification.[59][58] It also supports private candidates and international students via exams like the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), facilitating entry into the local system.[60] SEAB's efforts contribute to Singapore's education reputation by adapting syllabuses annually to reflect pedagogical advancements, such as incorporating digital literacy and critical thinking.[61][62]United States
In the United States, education is decentralized, with primary authority over K-12 curricula and assessments residing with individual states rather than a single national examination board. This structure stems from the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states, leading to varied state-specific testing systems. Federal law, through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, requires states to administer standardized assessments in English language arts, mathematics, and science to measure student progress and school accountability, but the development and administration of these tests are handled at the state level, often in partnership with private testing companies. National organizations play a significant role in standardized testing for college admissions, advanced coursework, and professional certification, filling gaps in the decentralized system. The College Board, a not-for-profit founded in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board, administers the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test), a widely used college admissions exam taken by over 2 million students in 2025 (class of 2025), and the Advanced Placement (AP) program, which offers college-level courses and exams in 38 subjects, with over 4.3 million exams taken by more than 1.2 million high school students in 2024 (class of 2024 data).[63][64] The ACT (originally American College Testing), established in 1959, provides a competing college readiness assessment taken by approximately 1.3 million students yearly, emphasizing skills in English, math, reading, science, and optional writing, alongside workforce credentials like ACT WorkKeys.[65] The Educational Testing Service (ETS), formed in 1947 through the merger of testing programs from several universities and organizations, develops and delivers a broad array of exams, including the Praxis assessments for teacher licensure used in over 40 states and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for graduate school admissions.[66] ETS also manages international tests like the TOEFL for non-native English speakers seeking U.S. higher education. At the federal level, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation's Report Card and administered by the National Center for Education Statistics since 1969, provides periodic, nationally representative samples of student performance in core subjects without individual or school-level stakes, serving as a benchmark for educational trends across states.[67] For K-12 accountability, states contract with major testing firms such as Pearson, McGraw-Hill Education, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to create and score assessments aligned with state standards, many of which draw from Common Core frameworks adopted by 41 states.[68] Examples include California's Smarter Balanced assessments for grades 3-8 and high school, and New York's Regents Exams for high school graduation in subjects like algebra and global history. These state systems ensure compliance with ESSA while allowing flexibility in content and format, though critics note variations in rigor and equity.[69] Overall, this mosaic of national and state-level entities promotes standardized evaluation without a unified board, influencing over 50 million K-12 students and millions more in postsecondary pathways annually.Caribbean
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) serves as the primary regional examination board for English-speaking Caribbean territories, providing standardized assessments for secondary and post-secondary education. Established in 1972 through an agreement among governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), CXC was created to develop and administer examinations tailored to the region's cultural, economic, and educational needs, replacing reliance on external British-based systems.[70] Its formation addressed long-standing calls for regionally relevant qualifications, with roots tracing back to discussions in the 1940s among pre-independence leaders seeking greater control over education standards.[71] CXC operates across 16 participating CARICOM countries and territories, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands; it also collaborates with non-CARICOM areas such as Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Suriname.[70] Headquartered in Bridgetown, Barbados, with a western zone office in Kingston, Jamaica, the organization is governed by a council comprising ministerial representatives from participating countries, supported by key committees: the Administrative and Finance Committee (AFC) for operational oversight, the Schools Examinations Committee (SEC) for academic standards, and the SUBSEC for detailed syllabus review.[72] These bodies ensure syllabuses are developed by regional educators and specialists, emphasizing practical skills alongside academic knowledge to foster human resource development aligned with Caribbean priorities like sustainable tourism and agriculture.[72] The council's core function is administering high-stakes examinations that certify student achievement and facilitate transitions to higher education or employment. Its flagship offering, the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), launched in 1979 with initial subjects in English, mathematics, integrated science, social studies, and history, now covers over 30 subjects at general and basic proficiency levels for students aged 14–16, assessing competencies through a mix of school-based assessments (40–50% weighting) and final exams.[70] For upper secondary levels (ages 16–18), the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), introduced in 1998, provides two-unit modular structures in fields like sciences, humanities, and technical-vocational areas, equivalent to international A-levels and recognized by universities worldwide for admissions.[70] Additional programs include the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) for foundational skills, the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) across five levels from entry to managerial roles, the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) for primary school leavers, and CXC Associate Degree (CXC-AD) for postsecondary credit.[70] Beyond exams, CXC offers consultancy services, such as teacher training and national assessment support, employing a mix of permanent staff, seasonal examiners, and regional resource persons to maintain rigorous, equitable standards.[72] While CXC dominates regional assessments, some Caribbean countries supplement or parallel its offerings with international boards for broader options or legacy continuity. In Jamaica, for instance, the Overseas Examinations Commission coordinates Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and Pearson Edexcel GCE qualifications, particularly for O- and A-levels, serving students seeking global portability.[73] Similarly, Barbados and other territories permit CXC alongside these UK-based systems, allowing flexibility for private candidates or specialized tracks, though CXC's regional focus has progressively reduced dependence on external providers since the 1980s.[74] This hybrid approach underscores the Caribbean's commitment to blending local relevance with international comparability in education certification.Africa
Examination boards in Africa primarily operate at national or regional levels, overseeing standardized assessments for secondary education certification, university entrance, and vocational qualifications. These bodies ensure the maintenance of educational standards across diverse linguistic and colonial legacies, with English-speaking regions often featuring independent councils modeled after British systems, while Francophone North Africa relies more on centralized ministerial oversight. Regional cooperation, such as through the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), facilitates cross-border recognition of qualifications, supporting mobility and harmonized curricula.[75] In West Africa, the WAEC, established in 1952 as a non-profit organization headquartered in Accra, Ghana, serves as the foremost examining body for Anglophone countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia. It conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), a high-stakes assessment comparable to international standards, aimed at certifying secondary school completion and promoting academic excellence through qualitative evaluation.[75] Complementing WAEC in Nigeria, the National Examinations Council (NECO), founded in 1999, administers the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), focusing on national curricula to foster human resource development.[76] East African countries maintain national bodies with historical ties to a defunct regional council. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), formed in 1980 under the KNEC Act, oversees key assessments like the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), ensuring credible and quality evaluations for school progression and certification.[77] In Tanzania, the National Examinations Council (NECTA), established in 1973, manages primary and secondary national exams, including registration, result dissemination, and guidelines for inclusive assessment practices.[78] Uganda's Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), created by parliamentary act in 1983, conducts primary leaving, junior secondary, and senior secondary exams to certify educational attainment nationwide.[79] These councils collaborate through initiatives like the 2021 East African Regional Assessment Association to standardize practices and combat examination malpractices.[80] In Southern Africa, independent agencies cater to both public and private sectors. South Africa's Independent Examinations Board (IEB), operational for over 35 years and accredited by Umalusi, designs and delivers the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for more than 270 schools, emphasizing innovative assessments rooted in African contexts while offering international options like the International School Certificate (ISC).[81] The Matriculation Board, under the Department of Higher Education and Training, verifies NSC qualifications for university admission, ensuring equitable access to tertiary education.[82] Malawi's National Examinations Board (MANEB), enacted in 1969 and updated through legislation, administers the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) and Junior Certificate of Education (JCE), with enhanced security measures and digital registration to uphold exam integrity.[83] North African nations, influenced by French educational traditions, typically administer national examinations through ministries rather than autonomous boards, prioritizing centralized control for the baccalauréat or equivalent. In Egypt, the Ministry of Education and Technical Education organizes the Thanaweya Amma, a pivotal secondary exit exam determining university placement, with reforms introducing alternative pathways like the baccalaureate certificate system.[84] Morocco's Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports supervises the baccalauréat exams for nearly 500,000 candidates annually, mobilizing extensive resources for secure administration across 1,995 centers.[85] Similarly, Algeria's Ministry of National Education handles the baccalauréat and BEM (middle school exam), registering over 860,000 candidates in 2025 with a focus on national success rates around 58%.[86] This ministerial approach contrasts with sub-Saharan models but aligns with broader Arab League efforts for educational harmonization.[87]West Africa
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is the primary regional examination board for Anglophone West Africa, established in 1952 to standardize examinations in the public interest across its five member states: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia. Governed by a council of education ministers, WAEC operates through national offices and conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, a comprehensive assessment in core and elective subjects equivalent to GCSE/A-levels, and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) for private candidates. The WASSCE, introduced in 2006, combines continuous assessment (30%) and external exams (70%), serving over 3 million candidates annually and recognized internationally for further education and employment. WAEC also administers the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in some countries for junior secondary completion. The organization emphasizes test development, security, and result processing, with digital innovations like e-learning platforms to combat malpractices and improve access.[75]Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the examination system for secondary and higher secondary education is administered by autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Education, primarily the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE). These boards oversee the standardization, conduct, and evaluation of public examinations to ensure uniformity in assessment across the country. Established following the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the BISEs evolved from the pre-partition education framework, with the first board in Dhaka set up in 1961 and others added progressively to decentralize administration. There are nine such boards, each responsible for specific geographic regions and affiliated institutions, handling over 1.5 million candidates annually for key national exams.[88][89] The core examinations managed by the BISEs include the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) at the end of grade 10, which certifies completion of secondary education, and the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) at the end of grade 12, serving as the gateway to higher education. These exams follow a curriculum set by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) and use a grading system based on Grade Point Average (GPA), introduced in 2001 for SSC and 2003 for HSC, with GPA 5.0 representing the highest achievement (80% or above). The boards also recognize and affiliate secondary schools and colleges, regulate examination centers, and publish results through official portals, ensuring transparency via processes like e-form filling and digital result dissemination. For instance, the SSC exam typically involves written, practical, and multiple-choice components across subjects like mathematics, science, and languages.[88][89] The nine BISEs are regionally divided as follows:- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka (covering Dhaka division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi (Rajshahi division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Comilla (Cumilla division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Jessore (Khulna and Jessore areas)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chittagong (Chittagong division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Barisal (Barisal division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Sylhet (Sylhet division)
- Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dinajpur (Rangpur and northern districts)
- Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board (BMEB, nationwide for Islamic seminaries) [88][89]