Ministry delays exams by a week to ensure safety

End of term examinations for public and private schools that follow the Ministry of Education’s curriculum have been delayed.

The ministry initially said the tests would be held on November 15. They have now been postponed by a week, to November 22.

Examinations will be held online for students in Grades 1 to 11, while Grade 12 students will sit their tests in person.

The delay was agreed to give schools more time to prepare for the in-person exams and to make sure safety measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“In order to ensure the readiness of all preventive measures, and taking into account the interest of all students, November 22 is the date for the end of first semester exams in public and private schools that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum, instead of the previously announced date that was scheduled on November 15,” the ministry said.

Safety measures and procedures for the in-person exams will be shared at a later date, a spokesman from the ministry said.

Details of examinations for private schools across the UAE that do not follow the ministry’s curriculum will be announced by the respective education regulatory bodies.

Schools and universities in the country closed in early

March to control the spread of coronavirus.

The majority of private and public schools across the Emirates reopened in late August for the new academic year.

International Baccalaureate schools in the UAE are also set to hold in-person exams for their students this month.

These exams will be the first major school-leaving assessments to be held during the pandemic, after a spate of cancellations in the summer.