The official exams of the IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) of May 2021 are now close, but there still is great concern among students. They have had to face more than 18 months of restrictions due to the serious pandemic (COVID19), that in various ways have conditioned or limited the levels of learning worldwide, often in situations of great difficulty.

Although there have been many official documents with which detailed information on the two planned routes has been provided, there are numerous elements that in the opinion of us students make the exam route obviously more stressful. Although the two routes will receive a completely equal qualification, the exam route is objectively more difficult and complicated to obtain, and is characterized by disadvantageous execution conditions.

The IBDP stands as "a program that aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge- students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically". Nevertheless the IB program wants to "ensure that fairness and comparability are built-in throughout our processes and we are undertaking significant reviews of results before release of results".

It is therefore asked to take into greater consideration the difficult conditions faced by students who will have to take the exams, and submit to Dr. Helen Seen em AM, Chair of IB board of governors, and team, to Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General from May first 2021, and to the senior leadership team (SLT), and to the advisory bodies, the following additional options:

- abolish exams for all, guaranteeing absolute fairness of assessment for students;
- guarantee protection from scoring under the predicted grades and Internal Assessment for all students;
- Define Grades Boundaries that are more precautionary for students, and that take greater account of the difficulties faced in the two years of studies.

- Any other solution that takes into greater consideration the difficulties faced by the May2021 students and that sees the exam route objectively evaluated in the light of the inequalities in the levels of teaching in presence guaranteed in the world.

A review of the assessment criteria, but also of clarity, is therefore required in the shortest possible time.

Best Regards,

The IBDP students.