2012 JCE Results Released

Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) has released the 2012 Junior Certificate Examinations (JCE) results. A total of 38385 compared with last year’s total candidature of 39374 wrote the examination. Out of the 38385 candidates, there were 19312 male candidates and 19073 female candidates.

Out of the total number of candidates who wrote the examination, 5 (0.0%) candidates obtained MERIT, 590 (1.5%) obtained Grade A, 4722 (12.3%) obtained Grade B, 10320 (26.9%) obtained Grade C, 13031 (33.9%) obtained Grade D, 4724 (12.3%) obtained Grade E and 4996 (13.0%) obtained Grade U.

The 2012 Junior Certificate Examination is the first examination for the revised Junior Secondary curriculum which was implemented in 2010. As is best practice, BEC was required to come up with new assessment designs that are aligned to the philosophical and outcome intentions of the new curriculum.

The introduction of the new curriculum came at a point when BEC was in the process of changing the assessment at JCE with regard to the way syllabuses were graded. Starting with 2012 examinations, JCE syllabuses were graded using a Standards-Based grading procedure and not the Norm-Referenced grading procedure used in previous

examinations.

The move to adopt a Standards-Based grading procedure was motivated by the fact that it provides more informative evaluation of student’s performance and allows year to year comparisons of national performance patterns. The Norm-Referenced grading procedure focuses on rating a student’s performance relative to that of others in the same cohort, while the Standards-Based grading procedure shows the extent to which the candidates achieved specified outcomes of learning. This allows for detailed reporting on actual capabilities of candidates since their performance is judged against defined standards. Such reports provide information that is critical for informing the education system, policy and school improvement initiatives.

For the award of a JCE qualification, candidates have been graded on seven subjects as against nine used in previous examinations. These include English, Setswana, Mathematics, Science, one optional subject and the best two from the remaining subjects. Candidates with Setswana exemption were graded on seven subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, one optional subject and the best three from the remaining subjects.

The 2012 JCE results show a lower proportion of candidates attaining grades C or better (40.7%) compared to the results of 2011 (74.7%). This should not be taken to mean that the 2012 cohort was weaker. The discrepancies in the results reflect the effect of a grading procedure that is more focused on knowledge and skills actually attained by the students.

The set of grades available for the overall JCE qualification is A, B, C, D, E and U unlike in the previous examinations where there were no grades E and U for the overall grades. Candidates who failed to meet minimum requirements for Grade E have been awarded Grade U.

 The JCE 2012 Summary of Results can be accessed here

Candidates can get their results through the SMS technology.

Please use the format "JCE Centre_No Student_No. eg JCE JC0001 0001."

EXAMPLE: JCE JC0001 0001

SMS Numbers are:

75634390

76933680

75826714

The results are also available from BEC website (www.bec.co.bw) and can be accessd

as follows:

1. Open the website

2. Click on the results

3. Select Examination (JCE)

4. Enter the year (2012)

5. Centre Number (Four Digits)

6. Candidate Number (Four Digits)

7.

8. by opening the website and going to results, then select JCE, then put year

The results cannot be obtained in person or by telephone from the Botswana Examinations Council and School candidates should contact their respective School Heads for their results. Private Candidates who registered with BEC will receive their results through the post.

For further information please contact the BEC Public Relations Office at 3650700.