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Examination Details 2018
Details on the FIBKA examination system, such as prerequisites for eligibility, how and when to apply, level of knowledge required etc., follow. There are seven levels of examinations for proficiency certificates; these and their eligibility requirements are as follows: Preliminary For beginners – no beekeeping prerequisites but the minimum age is set at 13 years of age before the examination date. Intermediate The Preliminary Certificate of the FIBKA or the BBKA Basic Certificate must be held for at least two years and must also have bees for at least three years before completion of the course. Senior Intermediate Certificate and at least five years beekeeping experience.Senior Apiary practical application form 2018
Intermediate Apiary Practical- The Intermediate Apiary Practical Examination is intended to be part of a stream that will lead to the Practical Beemaster’s Certificate. The examination is designed to be less “academic” and there are no written examination papers.
- The examination will take place in the candidate’s own apiary carried out by two Examiners appointed by the Executive Council. The pass mark is 70%.
Intermediate Apiary practical application form 2018
Non academic route to Intermediate Apiary Practical- The prerequisites for Intermediate Proficiency Apiary Practical Examination are: the FIBKA Preliminary Certificate or the BBKA Basic Certificate and at least three years’ beekeeping experience satisfactory to the Education Officer and Education Board.PS this is intended as a stepping stone to the Practical Beemaster
- The prerequisite for Intermediate Proficiency Apiary Practical Examination is at least three years beekeeping experience satisfactory to the Education Officer and the Education Board. An Apiary Practical certificate will be issued on passing the apiary practical examination.
- The exemption applied to some candidates re the Intermediate Apiary Practical is no longer available. Anybody completing the Intermediate cycle in 2018 and on will have to undergo the Intermediate Apiary Practical examination.
- The Intermediate Certificate will not be issued until all three elements of the Intermediate are passed ie Practical Written, Scientific Written and the Apiary practical
- Preliminary Certificate, the Intermediate Apiary Practical and at least five years’ beekeeping experience satisfactory to the Education Officer and the Examination Board.
Beemasters Application form 2018
Honey Judge Prerequisite to enter the Honey Judge process;- Intermediate and/or Practical Beemaster Certificates, successful showing, having obtained a minimum of 200 points at major shows and a record of stewarding under at least four FIBKA Honey Judges.
FIBKA Examination Dates 2018
Saturday 24th of March 2018- Intermediate Scientific & Senior Scientific Examinations will take place at Provincial Centres on Saturday 24th. March 2018.
- Closing date for applications for these exams is March 1st. 2018.
- These exams are 3 hour written papers, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm
- There must be at least 10 candidates taking the exam in a centre. Local Associations may come together to achieve minimum numbers
- The Hon Secretary of the organising Association will collect application forms and exam fees and forward these to the Education Officer of FIBKA
- The Hon Secretary of the organising Association will nominate a reliable person to act as invigilator for the exam and make arrangements for a venue where the candidates will take the examination
- Application forms should be received by the Education Officer by 1st. March 2018.
- Late Applications incur an extra application fee.
- Closing date for applications for these exams is Saturday 1st. April 2018.
- The examination consists of a written paper (c 30 minutes) and a practical open-hive examination.
- There must be at least 10 candidates taking the exam in a centre. Local Associations may come together to achieve minimum numbers.
- The Hon Secretary of the organising Association will collect application forms and exam fees and forward these to the Education Officer of FIBKA
- The Hon Secretary of the organising Association will nominate a reliable person to act as invigilator for the written exam and make arrangements for a venue where the candidates will take the examination
- In addition, an apiary must be available where the practical part of the examination can take place
- The Local Association Organiser will appoint examiners who will conduct the hive-opening part of the examination
- Application forms should be received by the Education Officer by 1st. April 2018
- Late Applications incur an extra application fee.
Provincial Written Examinations Application form 2018
Gormanston Summer Course Sunday 12th. of August to Friday 17th. of August 2018.- Monday 13th. August: Intermediate & Senior Practical Papers
- Tuesday 14th. August: Intermediate & Senior Scientific Papers
- Thursday 16th. August: Preliminary Examination
- Applications for the Intermediate & Senior Practical and Scientific Examinations should be received by the FIBKA Education Officer by 15th. June 2018.
- Applications for the Preliminary Examination will be taken in the course of the Summer Course Week or earlier by post.
- Applications for the Beemaster, Intermediate Apiary Practical and Senior Apiary Practical Examinations should be with the Education Officer by 1st. April 2018.
- These examinations take place in the applicant’s apiary and are conducted by two examiners. As the number of candidates is likely to be high the early closing date is to allow for the necessary arrangements to be made.
- The FIBKA examinations are carried out under the same strict rules as public examinations.
- An up-to-date Provincial Application Form, which also lists the closing date and exam fees etc., is downloaded from the Federation web site, copied and given to the candidates to fill out; the completed Application Forms must be returned to the Education Officer well before the closing date: see 5 below. The local Organiser collects the exam fees, types the candidates’ names (watch out for mistakes!), addresses and contact details into an Excel file obtained by e-mailing the Examinations Officer; please use the same format as the example provided and then return the file as an attachment by e-mail well before the closing date – this data-base file forms part of the examination record and will be used untouched by the Examinations Officer to print the certificates.
- All applications for the Provincial Examinations shall be made via the Local Organiser. The Local Organiser of a Centre may allow candidates from other associations to sit the examination at his/her Centre; responsibility for all the examination arrangements and communication with the Education Officer rests with the Local Organiser of the Centre.
- In the case of the Intermediate examination, the Practical paper and the Scientific paper will be examined at Provincial Centres in alternate years. For example, only the Scientific paper will be examined in April 2018 while only the Practical paper will be examined in 2019. A candidate may of course sit one paper at the Provincial examination and the other at the Summer Course.
- If there are candidates sitting the Intermediate examination, make sure that these are clearly listed separately from the Preliminary candidates on the Excel sheet. The closing date is March 1st. (Intermediate and Senior) and April 1st. (Preliminary) – however, the late closing date with a late application fee payable as indicated on the Application Form. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted and will be returned. The candidates’ signed Application Forms and the Excel sheet must be with the Education Officer within one week of the respective closing dates.
- The Examinations Officer will send the examination papers and the apiary marks sheets to the Organiser in a sealed envelope. This envelope will also contain another sealed envelope enclosing the examination papers and a Declaration Form. The Declaration Form must be signed and witnessed on the day of the examination that the envelope containing the examination papers was opened not earlier than five minutes before the examination.
- The local Organiser is responsible for arranging the exam hall, choosing the invigilators (who on the day of the examination will tick off the names of the candidates as being either present or absent), giving out the exam papers and answer books at the correct time.
- On the advice of a local Federation Lecturer, the Organiser will appoint the practical apiary examiners and oversee the exam.
- In due course all the exam material (scripts, apiary marks sheets and Declaration Form) is returned to the Examinations Officer.
- After the Examination Board meeting the local Organiser will be sent the examination marks on the data base file by e-mail and he/she will inform the candidates of their results and will help with distributing the certificates to the successful candidates.
- Candidates should study well in advance and consult the examination papers for at least the previous five years. Remember that the Summer Course alone is not an adequate preparation.
- Candidates are advised to take only one paper per year, but if you feel up for more then give it a lash. When answering questions they should stick clearly to the subject.
- Candidates are warned that where writing of answers is illegible, the Examiner may refuse to award any marks.
- Applicants for the Senior/Beemaster Practical Apiary examination must present their apiary/hive record notebook, containing records for at least 5 years for inspection. They must also present evidence of queen rearing and of having exhibited at honey shows.
- 70% for all examinations except Honey Judge (75%)
- Candidates need only repeat the part they failed, whether written or practical. Note that in 2018 there are two sittings of the Scientific written exams but only one opportunity to sit the Practical written exams. There are two opportunities for the Preliminary, these are thee Provincial and at Gormanston.
- The Intermediate Apiary practical, Beemaster practical and Senior Apiary practical cannot be repeated in the same year.
FIBKA Qualifications
Practical Beemaster’s Certificate Successful candidates will be entitled to teach and examine at beginner and intermediate levels… Senior Certificate The holder of this certificate is an expert beekeeper, competent to advise on all aspects of beekeeping and to teach modern methods. Lecturer’s Certificate
- Holders will be known as Certified Federation Lecturers (C.F.L) of the FIBKA and their names will be placed on the panel of lecturers.
- 20 questions, requiring short answers. Time 30 minutes.
- Paper A Practical – 6 questions. Time – three hours
- Answer five questions.
- The questions deal with the practical aspects of beekeeping
- Paper B Scientific – 6 questions. Time – three hours
- Answer five questions.
- The questions deal with the scientific aspects of beekeeping.
- Paper A Practical – 6 questions. Time – three hours
- Answer five questions.
- The questions deal with the practical aspects of beekeeping
- Paper B Scientific – 6 questions. Time – three hours
- Answer five questions.
- The questions deal with the scientific aspects of beekeeping.
Preliminary Five parts 20% each part:
- Ability to control colony
- Identify three castes of bees
- Identify eggs, larvae sealed brood and stores
- Describe AFB and how to identify it
- Describe varroa and its effect on the colony
- Apiary and Equipment 20%
- Honey Processing 20%
- Practical Beekeeping 40%
- Hive Products and Plants 10%
- General Topics 10%.
- Apiary and Equipment 20%
- Honey Processing 20%
- Practical Beekeeping 30%
- Oral under six headings (consult syllabus) – 5% each part
- Natural History
- Bee Behaviour
- Honeybee Forage, Plants and Pollination
- Diseases, Pests and Poisoning
- Apiary and Honeybee Management
- Honeybee Products
- Lecture Content 45 marks
- Presentation 45 marks
- Visual Aids 15 marks
- Handling of questions 45 marks
- Impromptu Talk
- Content 15 marks
- Presentation 15 marks
- Handling of questions 20 marks.
- Equipment, dress etc
- Samples and report; judging liquid and comb honey + one other class
- Judging other categories (oral interview)
- Questions on syllabus
- Schedule and legal regulations