The Botswana Examinations Council has announced the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) Timetable October/November 2025. BEC Conduct Examinations & Assessments in General Education & Technical, Vocational Education & Training
About this timetable
This timetable contains
- Instructions and guidelines about the examinations
- a full list, in date order and sessions, of all the examinations
- schedules of coursework and moderation timelines
- Schedules of practical examinations. the key to the timetable.
The timetable must be followed throughout. If there is any discrepancy between this timetable and any other documents such as Statements of Entry or labels on Question Paper packets, the Head of Centre should contact the Director Assessment Administration at BEC for confirmation.
About the session
Examinations scheduled for the morning session should start at 8.00 am; examinations in the afternoon should start at 2.00 pm. See also section 16 Key Times and Full Centre Supervision for Cambridge Syllabuses.
Where there is more than one paper in a single session
In cases where there are two papers timetabled in the same examination session, candidates should be allowed a short supervised break between the papers. The supervised break should be no longer than 30 minutes.
The second question paper must not be given out until the full time allocated to the first paper has been allowed and the scripts, answer sheets and question papers for the first paper have been collected.
Time Allowance for Question Papers
Any time required for candidates to read through question papers, to study maps, etc, is already included in the duration of the examination as shown on the timetable and on the front cover of the question paper. No additional time should be allowed, except for some Special Needs components of which specific instructions will be provided.
1261/01, 02 & 03 Visual Arts
The question papers for 1261/01 Design Study, 1261/02 Interpretative Study and 1261/03 Observation Study are delivered during early material question paper despatch. These question papers should be given to candidates immediately on receipt from BEC. Candidates are required to register for two practical examination papers;
1.
1261/1 (Compulsory Controlled Examination)
2 either 1261/2 or 3 (Controlled Examination)
Both examinations are of 8 hours duration and should take place over two consecutive days. All Centres must timetable the examination on the following dates;
1.1261/1 – Visual Arts – 11 to 12 September 2025
2. 1261/2 or 3 – Visual Arts – 25 to 26 September 2025
Since the dates of this examination are not reflected in the timetable, the Head of Centre must arrange for all candidates to be informed of the dates.
1262/02 & 1262/03 Food Studies
The Planning Session for the Practical Examination will take place on 12 August 2025 starting at 8.00 am. The Food Studies 1262/02 Practical Examination and Food Studies 1262/03 Moderation will take place at the same time during the period from 10 September to 25 September 2025.
7 1254/02 Hospitality & Tourism Studies
The Planning Session for this Practical Examination will take place on 14 August 2025 starting at 8.00 am. The practical examination will take place from 10 September to 25 September 2025.
1263/02 & 1263/03 Textile, Clothing & Design
The Planning Session for the Practical Examination will take place on 13 August 2025 starting at 8.00 am. The Textile, Clothing & Design 1263/02 Practical Examination and Textile, Clothing & Design 1263/03 Moderation will take place at the same time during the period from 10 September to 25 September 2025.
1264/02 & 1264/03 Innovative Design & Aesthetics
The Planning Session for the Practical Examination will take place on 11 August 2025 starting at 8.00 am. The Innovative Design & Aesthetics 1264/02 Practical Examination and Innovative Design & Aesthetics1264/03 Moderation will take place at the same time during the period from 10 September to 25 September 2025.
1259/02 & 1259/03 Physical Education
The Physical Education 1259/02 Practical Examination and Physical Education 1259/03 Moderation will take place at the same time during the period from 10 September to 25 September 2025.
1258/02 Music
The Practical Examination of Music 1258/02 will take place during the period 10 September to 26 September 2025. The date of the Practical Examination will not appear on the candidates’ Statement of Entry. The Head of Centre must arrange for all candidates to be informed of the date.
0520/03 French Speaking Test
The Speaking Test will take place between 15 September and 17 October 2025. The date of the Speaking Test will not appear on the candidates’ Statement of Entry. The Head of Centre must arrange for all candidates to be informed of the date.
Speaking Test samples and marks should be uploaded into the system, before 24 October 2025. Copies of completed speaking examination working marksheet should reach BEC not later than 24 October 2025.
Practical Examinations
The dates of the Planning Session and the Practical Examination do not appear on the candidates’ Statement of Entry. The Head of Centre must arrange for all candidates to be informed of the dates of the Planning Session and the Practical Examination.
For the Timetabled Practical Examinations in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer Studies, Animal Production, Field Crop Production and Horticulture, it may be necessary to arrange a number of consecutive sessions of the examination. In such cases, arrangements must be made to ensure that there is no contact between candidates who have taken the test in one session and those who are scheduled to take the test in a later session.
Coursework/Provider Based Assessment (PBA)
Centres which have registered candidates for syllabuses with coursework/PBA component should submit their marks through Malepa System on the stipulated dates as indicated on page 12 of this Timetable.
In addition, specific guidelines for syllabuses on moderation of coursework/PBA and deliverables will be provided by the BEC. Centres are also required to keep back up copy of coursework/PBA marks.
Examination Malpractice
Centres should be aware that examination malpractice is classified as a criminal offence, and that there are sanctions and penalties which may lead to loss of marks, disqualification, or barring from examinations of candidates or the Centre.
• The Head of Centre should ensure that teachers, invigilators and candidates are made aware of their responsibility in guarding against malpractice, as well as the consequences thereof. All work submitted must be the candidate’s authentic work.
The centre should ensure that there is no collusion, copying, impersonation or any other suspicious acts during examinations.
Key Times and Full Centre Supervision, Cambridge International Syllabuses
Centres which take Cambridge International GCE Ordinary Level and IGCSE syllabuses should observe that Cambridge International requires that at the Key Times stipulated below, all candidates must be under Full Centre Supervision for security purposes. Syllabuses which are affected include; 4037- Additional Mathematics, 4040 – Statistics and 0520 – French.
The Key Times are 11.00 am local time for the morning sessions and 3.00 pm local time for the afternoon sessions. In the October/ November 2025 series all of the examination papers concerned are written in the morning session.
The morning session for examinations will start at 8.00 am local time. Candidates who will be writing Cambridge International examinations will therefore finish before the Key Time of 11.00 am. Since the Key Time is after the end of the examinations, all candidates must remain under Full Centre Supervision until 11.00 am.
Candidates can either be under Full Centre Supervision in the examination rooms with their invigilators or when they leave the examination rooms, they must be under Full Centre Supervision with their invigilators continuously until the Key Time.
During the period between the end of the examination and 11.00 am, candidates can have access to their printed books and notes. The books and notes should not be on an electronic device. The candidates can talk to each other provided that they do not cause any disturbance to other candidates who are still doing an examination. However, candidates must not have access to telephones, cell phones, laptops/computers, smart watches or any electronic device with or without internet access or any means of external communication. Candidates must not be allowed to communicate by any means whatsoever with anyone who is not under Full Centre Supervision. As soon as the Key Time has passed, the candidates may be released.
General Notes
The Invigilator’s Manual and the timetable should be in each examination room at all times for the duration of the examinations.
- The Chief Invigilator must ensure that the correct question paper packet is opened on the scheduled time in the timetable.
- At the beginning of each examination session, sealed packets of the question papers should be opened by the Invigilator in the presence of candidates.
- Before opening each envelope, the Invigilator should confirm with candidates that the paper is the timetabled one.
- At the end of each examination, scripts and answer sheets should be sealed in the presence of the candidates. The attendance register and seating plan for each of the scheduled examinations should be completed for each examination session.. Candidates should individually append their signatures against their names on the attendance register before being dismissed from the examination room.
- The Chief Invigilator must also indicate absent candidates and sign at the bottom of each page of the attendance register to confirm the information provided.
- Projects, scripts and answer sheets will be collected from Centres. Communication will be made to Centres regarding arrangements for the collection of scripts.
- Centres should follow the guidelines for conduct of examinations at all times.
