Summary
Abstract
The Junior School Certificate (JSC) has been administered annually since 2010 by the eight region-based Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education to grade 8 (ISCED 2) students in general education programmes in public and private schools. This examination targets students enrolled in the general education system, as opposed to those enrolled in the religious education system or Madrasah education.
The JSC is a low-stake examination that certifies completion of lower secondary education.
The JSC is a written examination, administered face-to-face and delivered through paper-pencil tests. All test-takers are presented with the same cognitive booklets or tests, which are aligned with the national curriculum.
The JSC serves the following purposes:
- student certification for completion of lower secondary general education programmes
- student selection to higher education programmes or admission into specific courses or tracks
- supporting teachers (training, relevant materials, etc.)
- school or educator accountability
- promoting competition among schools
- sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes
- monitoring education quality levels
- planning education policy reforms
Kind of Data
Census (all students at the given grades or ages)
Units of Analysis
Results are reported at the student, school, sub-national and national levels. Data are disaggregated by sex, geographic location (urban and rural), major cities and type of schools (public and private).
Results are published in reports, which are available in print and online. Examination results are broadcasted on the radio and the television, and published in the media.
The Junior School Certificate comprises five mandatory subjects administered in Bengali, except for the English language test. The subjects are listed below:
Description of test items: Test items consist of multiple choice questions with three or more response options, open-ended questions requiring short constructed responses and essay writing.
Description of stimuli: Test stimuli consist of mixed texts.
Reporting metrics: Student performance is reported by percentage of points scored out of the maximum possible score. The minimum requirement to meet the national standard is 33%.
Students enrolled in grade 8 (ISCED 2) in general education programmes in public and private schools.
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