Reflecting on current interest in the comparability of GCSEs and worldwide GCSEs, this blog offers further information regarding the two different types of qualification and the way they function in Malaysia.
- GCSEs and Global GCSEs in Malaysia are qualifications that are unique. GCSEs are based on content and have to be assessed with the rules of Equal. The awarding organisations the way that content is assessed, which might differ to GCSEs and offering Global GCSEs each pick the content for all those qualifications.
- Because the reformed GCSEs became available in Malaysia, International GCSEs have not counted in college performance tables. In the United Kingdom, therefore, International GCSEs are largely taken by pupils in independent schools.
- Thousands of pupils throughout the world also take international GCSEs.
- Awarding organisations may decide whether their credentials are regulated. Our Register of credentials shows the qualifications we govern and, where applicable, the date in which we will stop to govern a qualification. Some global GCSEs have never been controlled by us some happen to be controlled by us in the past, but are not anymore; and a few are currently controlled by us. By 1 April 2020 we don’t expect to be regulating any worldwide GCSEs.
- On our Register of credentials we explain the few International GCSEs we still govern as ‘Level 1/2 certificates’, even though the credentials are still more generally called International GCSEs. We can’t require awarding organisations to change the title of foreign GCSEs that are unregulated. Our description reflects our opinion that the credentials, when controlled, are at levels 1/2, as are GCSEs. With grades, the grades aren’t necessarily aligned as with other qualifications at this level.
Licensed new international gcse in malaysia to check that they covered the government’s anticipated curriculum and fulfilled the carefully designed rules about assessment in place. We are also confident that standards are maintained over time and that grade criteria between GCSEs provided by examination boards align. When International GCSEs were taken by large numbers of pupils in schools that are maintained, we had information about their performance. We used this to compare a few tier standards in International GCSEs and GCSEs for the credentials given in 2015 and 2016. In English literature, on the other hand, there was a mixed picture, with signs that some grades were put more liberally but others were more intense. There was no pattern. We cannot re-run this investigation now that pupils in maintained schools don’t take International GCSEs because we don’t have enough data on pupils’ prior performance many students now taking Global GCSEs didn’t take key stage 2 tests. Outcomes for almost any qualification will reflect the cohort.