As Schools close this Thursday and Friday to ensure the safety of children and parents, parents are asking about exams – and particularly IGCSE and IB examinations.
Current Advice – What is actually happening?
Our view based on current advice is as follows:
(1) If examinations cannot be sat the results may be decided by an algorithm depending on the school and Board. No student will or should lose out. The consensus is that results will be fair and where there is doubt it will favour the student.
(2) No student will be failed because they cannot sit for an examination because of reasons beyond their control.
(3) Some schools in exceptional circumstances have continued with examinations historically. It is possible – but we think unlikely on this occasion. The KHDA quite properly after the worst storms and flood since records began has asked for caution. If a school were to open and the worse happen it would be liable.
(4) In some cases students will be given the opportunity resit examinations at the next sitting.
(5) Where examinations do need to be sat later, schools and families can apply for special consideration if it is believed the later setting will not accurately reflect the ability of the child had the original examination not been cancelled.
(6) All schools we have spoken with tonight have said that they have structures in place to ensure that no student will suffer as a result of having to miss an examination, even if schools are closed.
We have been flooded by emails from parents and teachers.
(1) Around 50% of parents expressed concern about their children losing the chance to be examined.
(2) More than 86% of parents believe the decision by the KHDA to put the safety of family and school staff first is the right one. Most parents expressed the view that they did not want to face any further risk from the weather and two parents said that they specifically felt “traumatised” by the floods. The caution shown by the KHDA was by the vast majority seen as the absolutely correct call.
(3) A small number of teachers expressed worries that this would further increase pressures on catching up to meet the requirements of the curriculum.
The decision to close schools this Thursday and Friday has sent shockwaves amongst students who are preparing to sit their international exams this week. Papers from both the IB and the IGCSE curricula are scheduled to take place this week, but it has now been confirmed that students will be unable to sit them if they are not allowed on the school premises.
Why can’t exams be sat online?
These international exams are set to take place at the same time across the globe, and online alternatives are not an option. There is a risk that questions could leak and the whole fairness of examination questions. that could set in motion a house of cards in which all examinations would be declared null globally.
What does the KHDA say?
SchoolsCompared.com asked the KHDA for comment. We were told that all students due to sit for examinations (internal and external) should expect to receive details directly from their school on the arrangements and that schools would advise parents.
View from a School
“We are addressing this tomorrow with our students and families. This is 100% the right decision by the KHDA and we had already prepared for this outcome. The safety of children and parents come first. “
Our view on cancelling exams
Whatever the frustrations here, it is surely better to be cautious. Even if the worst does not materialise, it could. No examination is worth a risk to life or injury. Exams can be resat. A life, on the other hand, does not come with second chances.
Further information
Weather forecast for Thursday 2 May 2024, from Rain.ae
Read about how the new weather warnings on Thursday and Friday first hit the news.
Schools are closing because of the weather front on Thursday and Friday – learn how and why here.
Visit the official KHDA web site for updates here.
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