According to a determination issued by the Regional Secretary for Education, Science and Culture, the 9th form national English exam will be compulsorily held in the Azores in the current school year.

The exam, which is also an initiative developed under the Key Project for Schools - Portugal, is intended to test the proficiency of all students attending the 9th form, according to the levels defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

After the successful completion of the exam, a certificate will be issued by the University of Cambridge certifying the langue level achieved by students. Additionally, this English exam can be taken on an optional basis by students attending the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th forms.

According to the exam calendar, the written examination will be held in the early afternoon of April 30 and the oral examination is scheduled to take place between March 10 and May 16.

In order to assure the coordination of schools in the preparation for this exam and determine the procedures to be adopted throughout the process, a meeting between the Regional Directorate for Education, the Institute of Educational Assessment (IAVE), the Cambridge English Language Assessment and all regional public and private schools will take place on Friday, January 24.