Guidance to Candidates

• MODE OF REGISTRATION
  
• HOW TO COMPLETE THE FORM
  
• CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
  
• SPECIAL ARANGEMENTS
  
• RESULTS
  
• ENQUIRIES UPON RESULTS
  
• CERTIFICATES
  
• REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES
  

There are three different modes of registration:

1. Collect an application form from our Customer Services Unit or from our Centre in Gozo from one week before the start of the Registration period.
2. Collect an application form from the respective schools.
3. Fill in the details on the form and submit online.

Use Block Capitals to complete your personal details and tick the subjects for which you want to sit for. After completing your application form you may:

1. Hand it personally or by a person of your trust at the Department or at our Centre in Gozo.
2. Send it by post.
3. Hand it to your respective school.
4. Send it to the department through our web-site online.

A.1. REGULATIONS

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE RULES

1. Candidates must be in possession of their Identity Card and Individual Time Table throughout the whole examination. The Identity card must be placed on the right hand corner of their desks.
2. No candidates will be admitted to the Examination Hall after the expiration of half an hour from the time at which the examination begins and no candidates will be allowed to leave the hall within half an hour.
3. You must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice in any part of the examination.
4. You may take into the examination room only the materials and equipment which are allowed. You must not take into the examination room any unauthorised materials or equipment which might give you an unfair advantage such as notes, calculator cases/instruction leaflets, bags, pencil cases, personal TV/stereos, electronic or radio communication devices, including mobile telephones. Possession of unauthorised material is an infringement of the regulations even if you do not intend to use it.
5. You must not talk to or otherwise communicate with or disturb other candidates once the examination has started.
6. If you are allowed to leave before the end of the examination, you will not be allowed to return.
7. If you try to use any unfair practice, or break the rules in any way, you could be disqualified from all your subjects.

1. Candidates must use their Index Number throughout the whole examination and they must see that the booklet is clearly and correctly perforated. Candidates must run their pen through any sheet, or part thereof, which is left blank, or in any way unused.
2. In no case may candidates use their names on the Answer Book or directly or indirectly disclose their Identity to any one of the examiners or to any member of the Board of Local Public Examinations. The papers of any candidate contravening this condition shall be cancelled forthwith.
3. Persons copying from the papers of other candidates, giving to or obtaining from other candidates any assistance whatsoever, or introducing into the Examination Hall or having in their possession books, manuscripts or papers of any kind are liable to instant dismissal.
4. Candidates who are found to have received beforhand information in respect of any examination paper, however such information may have reached them, and whatever the extent of such information, or who are found to have obtained a pass or any advantage in respect of any examination paper by any other illicit means, shall not be allowed to sit or to continue to sit for the examination or shall have all their papers and results cancelled, as the case may require.
5. Besides, candidates who fail to abide by the conditions set out in para 2, 3, and 4 shall also not be allowed to sit for any Government Public Examination for a period of two years, if not granted special permission by the Board of Local Public Examinations.

MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND

1. Know the dates and times of your examinations.
2. Arrive at least ten minutes before the start of each examination.
3. If you arrive late for an examination, report to the Invigilator running the examination.

   PROVIDE WHAT YOU NEED

4. Leave outside the examination room or with the Invigilator anything which you do not need or which is not allowed.
5. Take into the examination room the pens, pencils, rubbers and any instruments which you need for the examination. Correcting fluid/correcting pens should not be used.
6. You must write in blue or black ink or ballpoint pen, except for multiple choice test papers. Coloured pencils or inks may be used only for diagrams, maps, charts, etc.
7. You may not borrow anything from another candidate during the examination.
8. You must remain under supervision until at least one hour (or a period equal to the duration of the examination if this is less than one hour) after the published starting time for each examination.

1. You may use a calculator, unless you are told you must not.
2. If you use a calculator,
   • make sure it works properly, and that any batteries it requires are working,
   • clear anything stored in it,
   • remove any parts such as cases, lids or covers which have printed instructions or formulae,
   • do not bring into the examination room any operating instructions or prepared programs.
3. You must not use a dictionary or computer spell-checker unless you are told that you may do so.

1. Listen to the Invigilator and do what you are asked to do.
2. Tell the Invigilator at once,
   • if you think you have not been given the right question paper or all the materials listed on the front of the paper,
   • if the question paper is incomplete or badly printed.
3. Read carefully the instructions printed on the question paper and/or on the answer booklet. Do what they ask you to do.
4. Fill in the details required on the front of the question paper and/or the answer booklet before the start of the examination.
5. Do your rough work only on the proper examination stationery. Cross it through and hand it in with your answers.

1. If during the examination,
   • you have a problem and are in doubt about what you should do,
   • you feel ill
   • you need more paper,
   put up your hand.
2. You must not ask for, and will not be given, any explanation of the questions in the examination paper.

1. If you have used more than one answer booklet and/or any loose sheets of paper, you must place them in the correct order.
2. You must not leave the examination room until the Invigilator tells you to do so.
3. You must not take from the examination room any examination stationery, used or unused, rough work or any other materials provided for the examination.

Arrangements for persons with special needs

If you have special needs we will make sure that every attention is given to making the necessary arrangements for you. Please let us know about your requirements when applying for your examinations. We will need a medical certificate from your specialist indicating your special needs.

Local and foreign General Certificate of Education and vocational examinations

We receive all results from the various examining bodies. On receipt of the results, all of our staff will work on them to ensure that they are mailed to you on the same day. For confidentiality reasons, we do not give results over the phone.

If you do not receive your result please call personally or send one of your parents/guardian to our offices in Malta or Gozo. Kindly make sure that you bring your identity card and your index number. We will give you feedback on your result immediately.

Local public examinations

We will display the results on the notice board at the Department and at the Gozo Examinations Centre for Gozitan candidates.

We will let you know about the publication of results by placing a notice in the Government Gazette and on our notice board

We will publish the final result of all Local Public examinations after both the written and Interview process of the examination have been completed. The result will show the marks of all candidates in index number order. The names of successful candidates will also be published

Local and foreign General Certificate of Education and vocational examinations

If you are not happy with the result obtained, you can ask for a revision of your paper. Contact the department either by telephone, mail, fax or e-mail or call personally at the department and we will guide you through the procedure. This will vary depending on the board governing the examinations.

We will send your request together with a covering letter not later than three working days from the date of receipt of your request. We will let you know of the outcome of the revision of paper within five working days of the receipt from the examining board.

Local public examinations

If you have failed any part of the examination, you may submit a request for a revision of your paper within eight working days of the publication of the result. Contact the department for information on the procedure and on the fee to be paid.

We will then send your paper to be re-checked by the same three examiners and ask them to draw up a detailed report on your work. You will be asked to call at our offices accompanied by a person of your trust to verify your paper with the report. You will then have three working days to re-submit your reactions to the report. This will be sent to the examiners who will then submit a reply to your comments. Their reply will be considered final.

How will you know when to collect your certificates?

As soon as we receive the certificates from the examining Bodies, we will check them against our records. You can then collect them from the department. Bring your Identity card and result slip with you. Your parents/guardian can collect your certificates on your behalf as long as they bring your and their identity cards.

We will inform you when to collect your certificates by issuing a press release in the Government Gazette, announcing it on the national radio station and on Channel 22 and informing the Local Councils through their department. We will also place the information on our notice board at the department and at the Gozo Examinations Centre.

If you do not collect your certificates within six months from the date of publication in the media, we will send them to you by registered mail.

What happens if you lose your certificate?

If you lose your certificate/s, we can issue a confirmation of result within six working days of your request free of charge. You must give us the details of the examining body, the examination session and if possible your index number to enable us to trace your results from our records as quickly as possible.

If you want to replace the lost or stolen certificate with another original certificate, you will have to write to the examining board concerned. We will send the request on your behalf within three working days of your request. A fee will be charged and this will vary according to the board concerned.

We will send you the duplicate certificate within three days of its receipt from the examining board.