Cambridge cancels May/June exams

Cambridge International has announced the cancellation of its exams slated for May/June in a bid to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Cambridge International holds the Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O-level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma, and Cambridge Pre-U.

The institute announced the cancellation of the exams for May/June this year in a statement posted on its website on Monday evening.

“The situation with the Covid-19 outbreak is changing rapidly. In recent days, many more countries have decided to extend school closures into May and June, making it impossible for many of our schools to hold examinations,” Cambridge International said on its website.

The institution said its priority was to protect the safety and wellbeing of its students and teachers, and ensure the fairness of all its students and support them in continuing with their education.

“Today, therefore, we have taken the difficult decision not to run our international examinations in the May-June 2020 series in any country."

The institution said it recognized that students had worked hard for their exams and it would work with schools to assess their achievements using “the best available evidence”.

Students will receive a grade and a certificate from Cambridge International, given the knowledge and skills they acquired in their study, said Cambridge International.

The decision has little impact on Maldives; where most students sit for their O-levels in October, save for students from a few schools and private tuition centers.

Brightway School in suburban Hulhumale’ takes part in the May/June O-levels, but only three students are enrolled to sit in the exams.

Education Ministry, too, has noted that very few students from Maldives are sitting in the May/June exams, and said that it was engaged in discussions with Cambridge International and the management of schools to discuss the options.

Meanwhile, while the May/June Edexcel AS and A-level exams have also been postponed in the UK, a decision regarding the postponement of the exams for Maldivian students remains pending as exam centers in UK have yet to make a decision regarding the international examinations it offers in countries outside of UK.