General Certificate of Education
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The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification, often divided into two levels: Ordinary level (O-level) and Advanced level (A-Level), although other categories exist. Since 1999 when it was introduced, the Advanced Subsidiary level (AS-level) has also come into wider use.
The GCE was originally introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1951, replacing the older School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC). It was intended to cater for the increased range of subjects available to pupils since the raising of the school leaving age from 14 to 15 in 1947. The examinations were graded into ordinary level for 16-year-olds, and advanced level for 18-year-olds. There was also an intermediate level alternative ordinary level (AO-level) and a higher special paper (S-level).
In 1986, O-level qualifications were replaced by a new system, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). However GCE is still used in many former British colonies, such as Singapore, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago and some parts of Britain continued to use O levels for some time after 1986.
The Cambridge International Examinations board still offers O-level examinations. International GCE O levels are offered across many countries in the world through the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), and Edexcel Examination board. GCE O Levels are offered across around 100+ countries in the world, and in June 2005, 12 million candidates registered for CIE examinations across the world [1].
These examinations are very prestigious, and because of the number of candidates which appear for them annually, recognition awards such as 'Top in the World' in certain subjects are offered.
In Pakistan, the largest number of O and A-level candidates appear from Karachi. The highest number of A's in these examinations in a single session is 14 straight A's, achieved by Aunn Raza, a student from Aitchison College in Pakistan in June 2004 [2], [3].
In 1989 an intermediate level, Advanced Supplementary (AS), was introduced for 18-year-olds who had studied a broader mix of subjects in less depth. The system was revised in 2000 so that all A-level students must now sit AS-levels (now called Advanced Subsidiary) first.
Increasingly in Singapore, students who perform well in school are given the option to bypass the O-levels, and take the A-levels instead at the age of 18, in a scheme dubbed the integrated programme (also known as the through-train programme).
In Malta, the British examinations are still very popular, though their popularity has been in decline since the introduction of a similar examination scheme by the University of Malta.
In Hong Kong, students wishing to attend university in the United Kingdom usually take the British examinations in addition to Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE), despite the equivalent agreement between the two sets of examinations, for grades attained in the British examination tend to be better. The English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong runs schools that follow the British patterned education, and students take GCSE in Years 10-11 and AS/A Level exams in Years 12-13, although the schools are transitioning to the IB Diploma.