CONDUCT OF THE MATRICULATION AND SECONDARY 
EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS g S.L.327.66 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.66
CONDUCT OF THE MATRICULATION AND 
SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE 
EXAMINATIONS REGULATIONS
12th April, 1996
LEGAL NOTICE 62 of 1996.
Citation.
Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate Examination
Regulations.
Applicability.
Examination at Advanced and Intermediate Levels and to the
Secondary Education Certificate Examination run by the
Matriculation and Secondary Education Certificate Examinations
Board (MATSEC Board) and Support Unit, as provided in Statute 4
of the University of Malta.
(2) In addition to these regulations, the Regulations for the
Matriculation and for the Secondary Education Certificate
Examinations published each year shall apply.
Subject 
Committees.
3. (1) A Subject Committee shall be established for each
subject or group of subjects offered within the Matriculation
Examination at Advanced and Intermediate Levels and the
Secondary Education Certificate Examination.
(2) Each Subject Committee shall consist of:
( a ) a Syllabus Panel, appointed for a period of two years;
( b ) a Paper Setters’ Panel, appointed for a period of one
year; and
( c ) a Markers’ Panel, appointed for a period of one year.
(3) The appointment of persons on these panels may be
renewed.
Composition of 
Subject 
Committees.
4. (1) Syllabus Panel: A Syllabus Panel shall be composed of
a number of academic staff of the University, the Department of
Education and the Private Schools’ Association as appropriate,
chosen for the expertise they can offer to a Syllabus Panel and after
consultation with the bodies concerned. One of the members shall
take the chair.
(2) In the case of the Secondary Education Certificate
Examination:
( a ) the number of academic staff of the University shall,
as far as possible, not exceed half the total number of
members of the panels; and
( b ) the number of Syllabus Panels chaired by members of
the academic staff of the University shall not exceed
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EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS
half the number of panels.
(3) Paper Setters’ Panel: A Paper Setters’ Panel shall be
composed of at least two and at most three members, one of whom
shall take the chair. In exceptional circumstances, an additional
member may be appointed. The panel shall be appointed by the
Council of the University on the advice of the MATSEC Board and
Senate.
(4) Markers’ Panel: A Markers’ Panel shall be composed of at
least three members, one of whom shall take the chair. The panel
shall be appointed by the Council of the University on the advice of
the MATSEC Board and Senate. Additional markers may be
appointed if the number of candidates registered for the
examination in a particular subject warrant it.
Role of Subject 
Committees.
5. (1) Syllabus Panel: A Syllabus Panel shall be mainly
responsible for encouraging curriculum development in schools
and for the drawing up of a syllabus in the subject/s for which it is
appointed. Such a syllabus shall be submitted for approval to the
MATSEC Board and Senate and shall normally be published each
year and at least two years before the date of the examination to
which it refers.
(2) Paper Setters’ Panel: A Paper Setters’ Panel shall be
responsible for the preparation of the examination papers and a
mark scheme in its subject or subjects for each session of the
examination. The examination papers must meet the requirements
and assessment objectives and must cover the subject content
specified in the syllabus. The examination papers must be
submitted to the Registrar of the University for printing by not later
than three weeks before the respective examination is due.
(3) Markers’ Panel: Members of any Markers’ Panel shall be
responsible for the marking of the examination scripts, allotted to
them by the person chairing the panel, according to the mark
scheme agreed to by the Paper Setters’ Panel. The person chairing
the panel shall not mark any scripts but shall read a representative
sample and shall act as moderator to ensure that all the markers are
adhering to the same standards. In subjects where assessment by
teachers is provided for, Markers’ Panels may take into account
assessments of projects, assignments and oral proficiency
submitted by authorised teachers, approved by the MATSEC
Board, according to procedures established by that Board. Unless
otherwise provided in the relevant syllabus, the marks obtained for
a first session project or assignment may remain the marks
applicable for subsequent sessions of the examination. When
necessary, a member of the Markers’ Panel may be designated
moderator of the marks awarded by authorised teachers.
Eligibility to sit on 
Paper Setters’ and 
Markers’ Panels.
6. (1) Members of Paper Setters’ and Markers’ Panels shall
not be eligible to take part in the workings of a panel for a
particular session of examinations if:
( a ) they are related to a candidate by consanguinity or by
affinity to the third degree inclusive; or
( b ) they have been, at any time during the twelve months
before the examination concerned, guardians of a
CONDUCT OF THE MATRICULATION AND SECONDARY 
EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS g S.L.327.66 3
candidate; or
( c ) they have been, at any time during the twelve months
before the examination concerned, teachers of any of
the candidates in the subject of examination or a
closely related subject; or
( d ) they have given, at any time during the twelve months
before the examination concerned, private tuition in
the subject of examination or a closely related subject.
(2) Members of Paper Setters’ and Markers’ Panels shall be
required to sign a declaration, after having seen the list of the
candidates registered for the examination in a particular subject,
confirming that they are not disqualified from taking part in the
workings of the panel under any of the foregoing provisions of this
regulation.
(3) The Rector, after consultation with the person chairing the
panel, shall appoint another paper setter or marker in place of a
member who is disqualified as aforesaid.
(4) Where the member to be replaced is the person chairing the
panel, the Rector shall appoint a paper setter or marker already on
the panel to assume that role and such substitute members as may
be necessary.
Procedures of 
Subject 
Committees.
7. (1) Syllabus, Paper Setters’ and Markers’ Panels shall
determine the procedures to be adopted by them.
(2) Decisions of Paper Setters’ and Markers’ Panels shall be
taken by a majority of votes. No member may abstain from voting.
In the case of an equality of votes the member in the chair shall
have and shall cast a second vote:
Provided that the member in the chair may consider a
decision to have been taken on any matter if the general consensus
among the members appears to him to be in favour of such a
decision and no vote is asked for.
(3) Members of Paper Setters’ and Markers’ Panels shall treat
as confidential everything connected with the proceedings of their
work. They shall take all necessary precautions to prevent leakage
of information on the question papers, mark schemes and
examination scripts to third parties.
(4) Members of a Markers’ Panel shall be required to attend a
Standardising Meeting at which the marking shall be discussed.
Such meeting shall be held soon after the examination in the
written papers in a subject has taken place and before marking
begins.
(5) Members of Markers’ Panels must finish their work by the
date specified by the member chairing the Panel. In the event of
illness or other emergencies, the MATSEC Support Unit must be
informed so that alternative arrangements can be made.
(6) The members of a Markers’ Panel shall prepare a brief
report on the performance of the candidates whose scripts they
have marked, immediately after they have completed their marking.
These reports shall be submitted to the member chairing the Panel
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who will take them into account when compiling a report on the
examinations held during a year for submission to the MATSEC
Board, Senate and schools. The report shall seek to present a
balanced picture and shall include such comments as will be of
value and interest to teachers in the subject.
Fees payable to 
Subject 
Committees.
8. Members of the three panels forming a Subject Committee
shall be entitled to a fee, as established by the Council of the
University.
Revision of 
examination 
papers.
9. (1) Candidates who are not satisfied that the grade
awarded to them in any subject represents their performance during
an examination may request a revision of their examination papers.
(2) Such requests must be made to the Registrar, on the form
provided by him and accompanied by the established fee, within
the period indicated in a notice to be issued soon after the
publication of the results. In cases where the revision of
examination papers results in a revised grade, the fee paid shall be
refunded to the candidate.
(3) The revision of examination papers shall be made by the
original Markers’ Panel together with an additional marker to be
appointed by the Rector on behalf of Senate and on the
recommendation of the member chairing the Markers’ Panel.
Return of 
candidates’ work.
10. (1) Candidates’ work (projects, reports and other work)
presented for assessment shall be returned by the MATSEC
Support Unit after each session of examinations. Written scripts
and practical work carried out within the formal examination shall
be retained by the MATSEC Board.
