Schools are now busy compiling evidence to determine final grades, moving away from formal written exams
In a move affecting the country’s international education landscape, major British exam boards — including Cambridge International Education, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA — most recently cancelled IGCSE, O‑Level, and International A/AS Level examinations scheduled for the May/June 2026 series in the UAE, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain and Lebanon, citing safety concerns linked to ongoing regional instability.
Integrating digital exams
For 16‑year‑old Mehreen Arfaz, the “new normal” has become a blend of short assignments and monitored online tests.
Mehreen Arfaz said, “Our lessons are usually 40 minutes long. In Economics, our teacher gives us a 20-mark set of questions, which we have to complete within that time. The questions are uploaded as an assignment on Teams — we open the file, complete it, scan our work, and submit it on Teams or Google Phoenix, depending on what our teacher wants us to do. For subjects like Maths or Chemistry, teachers often wait for a double period of 80 minutes and then conduct a longer, one-hour test.”
The cameras have to be on throughout, however, she explains that expectations vary by teacher.
“For instance, my Chemistry teacher focuses on seeing us write rather than our faces, while my Maths teacher prefers to see our faces to ensure we are not cheating.”
Year 12 pupil Oliver Amaris is candid about what these changes mean for his future.
“The predicted grades we receive this year are crucial for university applications,” he said. “With exams now cancelled, our final grades will likely be based more on a portfolio of evidence. It does feel like a missed opportunity, and I just hope it doesn’t end up affecting my chances of securing a university place.”
Amaris pointed out that the school has reassured its students that it is still working through the situation in close coordination with the examination board, following the cancellation of their exams in the region.
“From the initial communication we’ve received, it seems we may be given two options: a portfolio of evidence or enhanced grading. The portfolio of evidence would involve additional assessments — likely conducted online with cameras on and with strict guidelines on dos and don’ts, or through mock-style exams — to help build enough evidence for the exam boards to award a final grade. “
