International Baccalaureate exams scrapped in UAE amid Iran war

Students following the International Baccalaureate programme in the United Arab Emirates will be graded on their coursework and teachers’ assessments rather than written exams in 2026 as regional conflict disrupts the academic calendar.

Those enrolled in diploma and career-related programmes will skip written tests scheduled for May, with schools told to switch to a contingency route instead, according to e-mails sent to parents by some schools and people familiar with the matter.

There are 55 International Baccalaureate diploma programme schools in UAE with 3,300 registered students for the May exams.

Earlier in March, the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education examinations, scheduled between March and April, were also scrapped for students in the Middle East.

The UAE, which includes the hubs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has been among the worst hit Gulf countries as Iran launched an onslaught of missiles and drones in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic. 

Changes to international examinations show how the effects of the war are trickling down the lives of the expatriates and citizens living in these expanding financial hubs. The UAE’s education ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Even beyond the International Baccalaureate, the UAE has been an expanding market for international schools looking to serve wealthy expatriate families, with branches of Britain’s Gordonstoun and Harrow International Schools Limited set to open soon.

GEMS Education also launched a US$56,000 (S$72,100)-a-year school in 2025, aimed at the growing community of wealthy expatriate families. 

The International Baccalaureate said in a statement that the government authorities may decide to apply “non-exam contingency measures” in exceptional cases where examinations cannot be conducted safely due to conflict, and where no other mitigation measures are possible.

“The examination route remains our preferred approach, but our focus is to ensure every student can continue their education and progress with confidence,” said Mr Olli-Pekka Heinonen, director-general of the International Baccalaureate.

Countries across the Gulf have taken differing approaches to schooling as they move toward a return to normality. The UAE has extended distance learning until April 17, while schools in Qatar have reopened.

The International Baccalaureate offers four educational programmes to more than 1.95 million students aged 3 to 19 across the globe. Over 31 per cent of all IB programmes taught occur in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. BLOOMBERG