Cambridge cancels, postpones their May/June exams

Cambridge International on Monday announced its decision to cancel the May/June series of international examinations for all participating countries, due to concerns over the global COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the statement posted on their official website, this includes Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma and Cambridge Pre-U.

Although schools in Maldives formally conduct O'Level examinations are between October to November, certain individuals and schools are known to attempt the examinations across the May to June as well.

Cambridge offered assurances that none of the students would face disadvantages over the extraordinary circumstances.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Education on Tuesday cancelled the Edexcel AS and A Level exams originally scheduled within the May/June sector and moved the exam sitting to the October/November period.

Per the Ministry, this decision was made because schools were for an extended period of time and in fact currently remain closed, as a precautionary measure to 'flatten the curve' and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Prior to this, the United Kingdom announced the decision to postpone Edexcel examinations countrywide due to increasing risks of contracting the virus.

This year only students of grade 11 will sit for the A'Level examinations in Maldives. Students now in grade 12 sat for their exams in October/November last year. Thanks to the delay in AS level (Grade 11) exams, there will be no final (A2 / Grade 12) examination sittings this year.

According to the Education Ministry, a total of 1,529 students were set to take part in the Edexcel A Level May/June examinations, this year alone.

Maldives has taken several measures in order to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading at mass. So far, 13 cases were confirmed, out of which eight are still active. The country recorded its first two recoveries on March 20, the third on March 21, and two more on March 23. No Maldivians have tested positive for the virus as of yet.

The World Health Organization has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected more than 381,400 and claimed over 16,500 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 102,400 have recovered.