The Junior Certificate Examination (JCE)

Introduction
The examination is administered at the end of the third year of the Junior Certificate (JC) course to measure the achievement level of candidates at this point. The examination is used for two purposes:
(i) as a tool to select students who proceed to the next level of education, which is the senior secondary;
(ii) as an assessment mechanism that measures the extent to which basic competencies and skills have been acquired. This is particularly important, as the end of the JC is a terminal point for the majority of our students and hence employers have to know what exactly they are capable of doing.

Currently the examination is norm-referenced but there is a move towards it being criterion-referenced as dictated by policy. Test blue-prints and assessment procedures appropriate for reporting the performance in dimensions or subject components as well as in subject and overall grades have been developed.

Assessment
The examination mostly assesses through terminal written papers to determine the achievement levels of the candidates. Every subject has at least one written paper. In addition, project work and practical examinations are used for aspects of the syllabus that cannot be assessed by pen and paper.

The Structure of the Examination
The Division currently offers examinations for twenty-one subjects at this level, and the subjects make a total of fifty-seven papers. The formats of questions include multiple-choice, short-answer and structured questions. Almost all subjects with the exception of Music, have a multiple-choice paper, all subjects except Art have a structured paper and seven subjects have a practical and/or moderated component.

JCE Introduction

Entry Procedures

Summary of Regulations

Notification of Results

Subjects