The Filipino seafaring community went on a frenzy this past few weeks as MARINA released its newest circulars. These new MARINA circulars pertains to the assessment of competence of the Theoretical and Practical examinations.
This comes as a surprise to many as the current examination set up will change under the new circulars. Which means, new set of rules, new set of conditions to meet.
Certainly, many Filipino seafarers aspiring to become ship officers are the once directly affected by this. Since many of us are not adaptive of change, it comes as a pain rather than a cure.
The current system
The current theoretical and practical examinations including assessment of competence are covered by STCW Circular 2014-08 to 2014-13 and 2016-17 which will cater for applications up until April 12, 2019.
The last day of examination under this current system will be on April 28, 2019. If you pass, you may want to process all other COC requirements right away. If you fail, re-sits are from April 30, 2019 to December 27, 2019.
As for your practical exam, you can still get it until December 27, 2019. Please make sure that you have done all other requirements for your COC/COE. If possible, please do file it as soon as you can.
RELATED: I have finished my trainings – When should i apply for COP in MARINA?
The new system
The new MARINA circular will take effect at all levels on May 1, 2019. If you file for your exam after April 15, 2019 on wards, this circular applies to you. So as your assessment of competence.
What does this mean? This means that the new rules and conditions to the theoretical and practical examinations already applies to you.
So as the new COC/COE requirements that is laid out in MARINA Circular 2018-06 also applies.
Transition from the current to new system
MARINA’s STCW Office released Advisory No. 2018-09 to set clarifications on the transition from the current circular to the new circular.
They have set three scenarios that a seafarer might be in.
First Scenario:
You have taken the theoretical exam, GOC & practical exam but you need to resit. You need to take and pass the remaining competencies until December 27, 2019. Otherwise, you need to undergo the entire process completely from scratch using the new system.
Second Scenario:
You have taken the theoretical exam and GOC but not yet taken the practical assessment. You need to take the practical assessment until December 27, 2019. Otherwise, you need to undergo the entire process completely from scratch using the new system.
Third Scenario:
You have taken and passed the practical assessment but not yet taken the theoretical and GOC. You are required to take and pass the theoretical exam using the new system. The new MARINA circular (2018-08 or 2018-09) will be followed when you take your exam.
This conditions applies to all Operational & Management Levels.
What are the changes?
There are some notable changes the way the examination will be done. Consider these as the examination guidelines, rules or conditions that every examination have.
Theoretical Examination
The theoretical examination is now function based. Competencies will be grouped to form one function. You need to score at least 70% in each of the competencies in that specific function in order for you to pass the whole function.
What if I fail in one of the competencies, do i fail the whole function? YES! So make sure to pass all competencies to pass the entire function.
Practical Examination
You now need to pass first the theoretical examination before you can proceed to take practical examination. Not like the current system where you can choose what to get first.
You must pass all scenarios provided.
If you fail only one scenario, what will you do? The answer is in the resit and retake conditions below.
Resit Conditions
A first resit or remedial is when you fail a specific function or scenario. However, you might as well get onboard first since you are only allowed to resit after 6 months from your examination or practical assessment.
You have a 6 month window to take your first resit since the rule says you should not exceed 1 year from your first examination or assessment.
Let’s have this example for reference, aspiring OIC Juan dela Cruz takes his theoretical exam on May 1, 2019. He fails one function because lets assume, he did not review well enough. His 6 months window will start on November 1, 2019 and will end up to April 30, 2020.
He needs to take his first resit in that time window because if he will not, he is now a candidate for a second resit or removal which he can only take on May 1, 2020 up to November 1, 2020. The same with first removal, he has 6 month window to resit & pass the theoretical examination.
Now, if Juan dela Cruz took the first resit or remedial and fail again (need to study more & have a good review center, dude) he is allowed to take a second resit or removal after 6 months of his first resit or remedial.
Again, lets take Juan dela Cruz’s example. So he took his first remedial on November 1, 2019. He fails again, lets say. He is allowed to take the second resit or removal only after 6 months but not to exceed 1 year from the date of his remedial. That will be on May 1, 2020 up to November 1, 2020.
Retake Conditions
All comes to worst and Juan dela Cruz fails the second resit or removal or he was not able to take the examination within the prescribed period, he does not have any choice now but to retake the whole examination just like he’s first time doing it.
In addition, he shall be allowed to take the exam again after taking an approved refresher training. (This refers to the function he fails in previously)
Confusing? It will not be confusing if you can pass the theoretical and practical examination in one take. If Juan dela Cruz just pass the exam in one take, we will not be confused right now. 🙂
When to complete the whole process?
You must complete & pass the entire theoretical & practical examination in 3 years time since the date you first took your theoretical examination.
After completing the necessary requirements for this circular, you can now proceed to your COC/COE application.
There you go mates, i hope all your questions have been answered. We wish you a smooth sailing in your process for your COC/COE.