Students assessment

At general upper secondary level education institutions adopt a system combining formative and summative assessments. Ongoing formative assessments are supplemented with summative assessments held on a half-yearly and end-of-year basis. These assessments are also essential for student progression from the first to the second year of what most of the time is a two-year course (approximately ages 16 to age 18). 

Ġ.F. Abela - Junior College

Each academic year is divided into two assessment periods and students are assigned an average progress assessment mark per subject per assessment period. The College Based Assessment (CBA) is based on regular coursework and progress assessments.

Programmes of study of two years have the following assessments: 

• First Year: two average progress assessments with a 20% weighting each, and an end-of-year examination of 60% weighting per subject 

• Second Year: one average progress assessment of 100% weighting per subject. 

Programmes of study of one year, will have one progress assessment of 100% per subject. Students following programmes of less than one year will be assessed according to the approved course description. 

End-of-year examinations are held in two main sessions during each academic year. Students who are eligible to sit for end-of-year examinations, sit for these examinations in all subjects at the end of the year. Students are expected to attend regularly for all sessions throughout the academic year and those who fail to attend 10% of their sessions during the academic year without justification, will be considered to have abandoned their course and will not be allowed to sit for their end-of-year examinations. The pass mark is 45% in each subject. 

State Higher-Secondary Schools  

During the first term, all students attending at the state higher secondary schools, that is the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School Naxxar and Sir MA Refalo Sixth Form in Gozo, are given an Assessment Mark, based on the work done during that term. At the end of the second term, first year students sit for the Half-Yearly Exams whereas second year students sit for their end-of-course final examinations. On completion of the two-year programme students are given a full transcript of their Assessment Report which includes all assessments achieved during their first-year and including all exam grades, and similarly all assessments achieved during their second-year and including all end-of-course exam marks.

GEM 16+

At GEM 16+, the one-year-programme aimed at supporting students to obtain Secondary Education Certificates qualification, both formative and summative assessment is used. For Mathematics, Maltese, English, Physics and Biology, assessment is attained through Summative (50%), Continuous (40%) and Executive Functioning Skills (10%). For ICT, PE and PSCD, Assessment is attained through Continuous (90%) and Executive Functioning Skills (10%). Exams are held in March/April. 

Progression of students

Assessments at post-secondary level are essential for student progression from the first to the second year of the course. Institutions have the autonomy to decide on the students’ promotion criteria from one year to another. Generally, this depends on students’ performance throughout the year and in their annual examinations. The institutions decide the overall weighting given to the formative and summative elements of assessments which will result in the overall rating at the end of the year. In subjects involving laboratory and workshop practice, formative assessment is given more weighting. Special examination arrangements are made according to students’ individual needs.

Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School in Naxxar requires first year students to obtain a minimum a global mark equivalent to 45% of the maximum global mark in each of the subjects studied at Advanced and Intermediate Level to be promoted to the second year. The global mark is the sum of all the progress assessment marks and end-of-year examinations for all academic subjects. 

Junior College requires first year students to obtain at least 45% of the global mark to be promoted to second year. The global mark is the sum total of marks obtained from the assessment and end-of-year examinations for each subject. Additionally, a maximum of 30 marks obtained from the Enrichment Programme (EP), may be added to the aforementioned global mark. If at least 45% of the global mark is attained following the addition of the EP marks then promotion is granted.

Those students at Junior College and Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School who fail to attain the required 45% threshold in the global mark, can sit for the examinations of the 2 subjects in which they obtained the least mark in the end-of-year examinations. Students who are not promoted, are given the opportunity to automatically restart the year. They may restart the study programme they were following or start a new programme. Students can register for a study programme any number of times, provided they hold the necessary entry requirements.

All students at Sir M.A. Refalo Sixth Form in Gozo sit for a November Test.  First Year students have Half Yearly Exams in February,  whereas Second Year students sit for their Annual Exams at that time. In June, First Year students sit for their Annual Exams. In order to be promoted to their second year of study, First Year students need to obtain an overall pass mark of 45% in their Annual Examinations. Students who do not achieve the pass mark, are given the opportunity to restart the year. They may restart the study programme they were following or a new one. Students can register for a study programme any number of times provided they hold the necessary entry requirements. On completion of the two-year programme, students are given a transcript of results and a school leaving certificate. 

Certification

General upper secondary education institutions in Malta prepare students for the Matriculation Certificate which is administered by the Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate Board of the University of Malta. As per MATSEC Regulations, Candidates qualify for the Matriculation Certificate if they obtain a minimum of 44 grade points (described below); sit for six subjects, two at Advanced Matriculation level, Intermediate Matriculation Systems of Knowledge, and three other subjects at Intermediate Matriculation level; and obtain a passing grade in at least one of the subjects from each of Areas 1, 2, 3 and a passing grade in Systems of Knowledge.  The results given in the individual subjects are given as Grades A, B, C, D, and E in descending order of merit. F indicates fail. 

The requirements for the Matriculation Certificate may be obtained by the candidates within a period of five years from the first sitting of any Intermediate and/or Advanced Matriculation level examination. Some restrictions as to which subjects may be presented apply.  These include:

• No subject may be presented at both Advanced Matriculation level and Intermediate Matriculation level; 

• Intermediate Matriculation in Environmental Science may not be presented with Intermediate or Advanced Matriculation in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology; 

• Computing may not be presented with Information Technology; 

• Engineering Drawing may not be presented with Graphical Communication.