Dates

• Existence: 1967 - 1980

Biography

The East African Examinations Council (EAEC) was an international examinations body that administered examinations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Before the formation of the East African Examinations Council, candidates in the region took UCLES examinations – the Joint School Certificate/Higher School Certificate and GCE – which were administered in the UK. In 1965, the University of East Africa approached UCLES to make proposals for an examinations council for the region, and a report was produced later that year. Two years later, the East African Examinations Council was established. The EAEC was created as an institution of the East African Community, an intergovernmental organisation formed between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The East African Examinations Council was headed by a Chairman, who was required to be a Vice-Chancellor of an East African University. This position rotated every three years. The Council consisted of six members appointed by East African Universities, three members appointed by the governments of the partner states, two heads of schools from each country, and two members from the East African Community. Until 1974 it also included a representative from UCLES. The Council was supported by a number of committees: a Finance and General Purposes Committee, a National Sub-Committee for every partner state, a School Examinations Committee responsible for exam administration, and a Subject Panel covering every subject examined.

From 1968 EAEC assisted UCLES in jointly administering the examinations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In 1970 the UCLES examinations previously taken in these countries were replaced with East African qualifications. The Joint School Certificate and GCE was replaced by the East African Certificate of Education (EACE) in Tanzania and Uganda, and by the Joint East African Certificate of Education and School Certificate in Kenya. The Joint Higher School Certificate and GCE was replaced by the East African Advanced Certificate of Education (EAACE). These examinations were jointly administered by UCLES and the EAEC, with administrative tasks split between Cambridge and East Africa.

Tanzania withdrew from the East African Examinations Council in 1971, with its Ministry of Education taking responsibility for its examinations. In 1973 it established its own national examinations council.

From 1974 onwards the school examinations in Kenya and Uganda were fully administered by the EAEC, although UCLES continued to offer guidance and training in some areas. In 1975 the EAEC took responsibility for single-subject and group certificate qualifications in business subjects, which had previously been administered by RSA Examination Board.

In July 1977 the East African Community dissolved, rendering the law that established the EAEC invalid. The governments of Kenya and Uganda continued to operate the EAEC under a bilateral agreement until early 1980, when both countries established their own national examination boards.

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