Cameroon is a country who education is heavily influenced by both English and French educations systems, resulting in a dual education system. The British system is followed in the southwestern and northwestern provinces, though technically any school in Cameroon can offer either curriculum.
Primary school is compulsory; completion of primary education after six or seven years leads to the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), typically at age 12.
Secondary education is divided into two phases or cycles. The first phase is offered in secondary schools and is comprised of Forms I-V. The school-issued transcript showing completion of Form V represents completion of secondary education but is not in itself considered a high school diploma. Upon completion of Form V, students sit for end-of-year leaving examinations that vary depending on whether the student pursued academic or technical and vocational education.
Students who wish to pursue university education continue to pre-university education, the second cycle, at Form VI schools. Students sit for leaving examinations at the end of both levels, and the certificates are awarded by the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board.
Previously, the technical qualifications were named General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Technical and General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Technical to align with the academic versions offered at the same levels after Forms V and VI, respectively.
However, in 2018/2019, the Cameroon General Certificate of Education (GCE) Board reorganized their system and is phasing out older technical qualifications. The General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Technical has been replaced by the Technical and Vocational Education Examination Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC). Similarly, the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Technical is now called the Technical and Vocational Education Examination Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC).
In the technical stream, the ordinary or intermediate technical level is typically comprised of 1-2 principal specialty or professional subjects, 2-3 other related professional subjects, and at least one other subject, typically from English Language or mathematics. Students must pass a minimum of five subjects in order to obtain the certificate, but those who pass at least four will be declared successful in single subjects.
Students in Cameroon are generally required to complete two additional years of pre-university education and pass the examinations at that level in order to be eligible for university admission. However, ITC results may qualify a student to enroll in post-secondary teacher training programs, technical institutes, college diploma programs, and other non-university further education in Cameroon.
Resources:
Cameroon GCE Board: https://camgceb.org/examinations/tve-intermediate-level/ and https://camgceb.org/tve-examination-intermediate-level/ and https://camgceb.org/2024-gce-results/
Cameroon GGE Board Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camgceb
Cameroon News Agency: https://cameroonnewsagency.com/advanced-technical-certificate-intermediate-technical-certificate-examination-structure-for-technical-english-schools-in-cameroon/
Cameroon Tribune: https://www.cameroon-tribune.cm/article.html/21714/fr.html/gce-board-reorganisation-making-certificate-holders-more-competitive
New Structure of the Technical and Vocational Education Examinations as from June 2020 Examination Session: https://cameroongcerevision.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Update-GCE.pdf
Ministere des Enseignements Secondaires: https://www.minesec.gov.cm/web/index.php/en/46-pages-en/276-training-offer-sub-system-anglophone-en and https://www.minesec.gov.cm/web/index.php/en/systeme-educatif-en/offre-de-formation-en/sous-systeme-anglophone-en