Central Data Catalog

The Brevet d'Études du Premier Cycle de l'Enseignement Secondaire (BEPC) is administered annually by the Service des Examens, Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale to grade 9 (ISCED 2) students in general education programmes in public, private and community schools. Community schools are schools created at the initiative of parents, individuals, associations or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Community schools benefit from the same advantages as the public schools (parental contributions reduction, allocation of civil servant teachers).

The BEPC is a high-stake and mandatory examination that certifies completion of lower secondary general education programmes. It is a requirement for students wishing to pursue an upper secondary education (ISCED 3).

Passing the BEPC allows reintegration of out-of-school children and youth into the school system at the next appropriate grade. Out-of-school children and youth can take the BEPC as independent candidates, but at registration they must provide a document issued by a teacher or a school principal certifying that they attended grade 9 at some point in the past.

The BEPC 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 BEPC 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

- school or educator accountability, only for the public schools

- sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes

- monitoring education quality levels

The BEPC accommodates students with special needs, by providing the following arrangements:

- Hearing impairment: use of special rooms; transcription of instruction in sign language

- Visual impairment: test materials in braille

- Environmental effect: postpone the test

Census (all students at the given grades or ages)

Results are reported at the student, school, local, sub-national and national levels.

Results are published in reports, which are available in print and online. A database is also accessible online. Examination results are published in the media.