The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on school leaving, university entrance and other high stakes exams around the world. Many northern hemisphere countries have exams around this time of year and have had to decide what action they will take. Major decisions have been taken to continue as planned, postpone, replace or cancel exams. Those who plan to keep to their original exam timetable or have introduced a short postponement may yet have to come up with an alternative action. Where exams have been cancelled, there will still be important technical and operational judgements to be made.
International co-operation amongst exam agencies – one of IAEA’s purposes – seems very important at this challenging point in time. Some educational assessment organisations might find it helpful to see if there is something they can learn from people elsewhere in the world in similar situations. The information below is intended to permit IAEA members and others to identify organisations that are facing similar problems to their own.
If you would like to add your exams to this information, please use the format below send your text to: Dennis Opposs, Standards Chair at Ofqual, dennis.opposs@ofqual.gov.uk
Most exams will be easy to classify using one category but, if necessary, systems can use more than one.
A. Cancel exams. Use completed exams and/or school based assessments to produce results.
B. Cancel exams and produce results using school and college generated estimates.
C. Replace planned exams with new on-line exams taken at home.
D. Postpone exams.
E. Press ahead with exams on schedule.
The 2020 overview of Approaches to Exams Given the Pandemic can be found here