What is IGCSE? An Intro

IGCSE, or most commonly labelled as O Levels, is a Cambridge-based certificate, much like A Levels. The full form of IGCSE is International General Certificate for Secondary Education. In Malaysia, it is mostly offered in international or private secondary schools. A recent Ministry of Rural and Regional Development policy has resulted in the implementation of this program in MARA secondary schools, the first being MRSM Tun Abdul Razak, Pekan. It offered a wide range of subjects to be taken, amounting to over 50+. The span of IGCSE amounts to 4 years, starting from age 13. What differs IGCSE from most common exams are the implementation of a diagnostic test after the first two years, called Checkpoint. The tests are administered to determine the student’s ability to undergo IGCSE in the next two years. After determined their suitability, the students will undergo higher-level learning for another two years before taking the final IGCSE exam which is offered in two sessions, May or October.

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