Given the insane amount of disruption that we have faced to our learning, it's not fair that students in Bahrain are being forced to sit in person examinations when they have been cancelled in other countries such as the UK. Simply, we're not on a level playing field - students taking examinations from other exam boards will receive teacher assessed grades instead, which is the more fair option.

There are serious safety concerns surrounding them forcing us to take examinations: if a student catches COVID or has to self isolate, they will have to miss the exam, meaning that they won't be awarded a grade. If we aren't able to receive a grade, we won't get into university. Also, finding alternative dates to sit the examination will heavily disrupt our progression onto other opportunities.

In order for these exams to take place, all students and invigilators have to take a PCR test within the first 3 days of their first examination, followed by another PCR test every 10 days, as well as taking rapid tests after every single exam. If one person tests positive, this will have a detrimental impact on the rest of us. Exams in normal circumstances are stressful enough, we don't need the added discomfort of COVID testing and the anxiety of possibly testing positive. 

The Ministry of Education wrote to CAIE detailing these concerns in order for them to cancel examinations, but CAIE declined, insisting that exams must go ahead. So the only way to counteract this if if the Ministry of Education prohibits exams from taking place in Bahrain. 

Our future university and therefore life plans are on the line here, the current arrangements aren't fair or ideal for anyone.