Dubai: UK exam board Pearson Edexcel on Thursday confirmed the cancellation of school exams in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon for the May/June 2026 series.
All international GCSE, International A Level and iPLS qualifications will be cancelled, according to an announcement made by Emma Whale, Vice President of International Schools.
She said the decision was made “in consultation with local authorities and other international awarding bodies in response to the current situation, with the safety of students and staff put first.”
What comes next
Pearson said it is currently finalizing alternative arrangements for affected sites and has pledged to update schools once they are confirmed, along with additional FAQs to guide schools through the process.
“We have long-standing, tried and tested emergency processes to support schools through any disruption to exams,” Whale said, adding that the body’s priority would always be to support students’ progress “to the grade that reflects their performance”.
Other countries unaffected
Pearson confirmed that it intends to proceed with examinations in all other locations across the region where it is safe and possible to do so.
“Exams remain the fairest and most reliable way for students to demonstrate what they have achieved,” Whale noted.
Support available
The awarding body said it has written directly to centers in all countries to confirm next steps.
Whale said FAQs have been published for the countries where the board currently intends to continue the exams. “But we are working to produce more guidelines and FAQs for countries where exams are cancelled, and we will add them here as soon as they are ready,” she noted.
Schools with concerns or questions are encouraged to contact their local regional development manager or reach out through the Pearson customer support portal.
