The general certificate of secondary education with reference to biology

Abstract

The General Certificate of Secondary Education is the current form of assessment at the age of 16 in the United Kingdom. It has replaced the General Certificate of Education and the Certificate of Secondary Education, which are now only available to overseas candidates including Maltese students. Eventually the GCE will no longer remain financially viable for the examination boards and the Maltese Education Department will have to switch to a new type of assessment. Two choices are available, examinations set and marked by a local board, such as the current Matriculation examinations or the GCSE. This dissertation looks at the GCSE, its aims and objectives, its origins and the positive and negative effects it has had on students and teachers. Special reference has been made to the Biology syllabus. A questionnaire was circulated to Biology teachers to collect their views on the subject. The teachers also gave their views on the advantages and disadvantages such a change would bring. What has been said for Biology would very well apply for all science subjects and many of the points can be taken as valid for any GCSE examination