Request for Cancellation or Alternative Assessment for IB May 2026 Exams in the Middle East

PLEASE

please cancel due to trauma

The ongoing conflict in parts of the Middle East is creating significant uncertainty and stress for students across the region. While not all areas are directly affected by violence, the psychological impact, safety concerns, and disruptions to daily life are real and cannot be ignored. IB students are expected to perform at their highest level during final examinations, yet many are dealing with anxiety, instability, and circumstances beyond their control. Education should be fair, and fairness requires acknowledging when students are not operating under equal conditions. In previous global crises, such as COVID-19, adjustments were made to ensure equity. A similar level of consideration should be extended now. Whether through exam cancellation, grade adjustments, or alternative assessment methods, the IB has a responsibility to support its students during times of regional crisis. Students in the Middle East deserve the same fairness, empathy, and flexibility as students elsewhere.

I have not had a stable connection to wifi since the conflict started, and I struggle to study with the anxiety that a missile could hit my house at any moment.

cancel the exams the situation isnt fair.

The war was tooooo stressful for us we don’t want to do the in exams

The middle east is facing a war that has affected many families and schools. we physically and mentally cannot study PROPERLY for the exam as we wish to. The whole region is going through a difficult time and these exams determine our future, and with the things going on i don’t think it would be suitable to take the exams.

i cannot deal with pressure from both being under attack and studying for the exams.Watching the news about whether or not the next strike is going to be near my area or if it has already happened scares and puts all students on edge. And on top of that trying to shake that feeling of fear off while also studying and trying to retain information is difficult.

Warning alerts /sirens goes off Atleast 3 times a day in Bahrain and they want us to do the boards exams lately some residential areas were targeted won’t take on that risk honestly.

The ongoing and constantly escalating conflicts in the region makes partaking in any in-school IB exams nothing short of dangerous. This is due to the fact that the gulf, and middle eastern Arab countries in (TZ2) as an extension have fallen victim to various the ever-growing war where many military, and diplomatic bases have been key targets for the attackers. Since the majority of IB students take the programme in international schools in close and often neighboring proximity to such bases, participating in any in school ultimately puts us students lives at jeopardy. Thus, it would be wise to find an alternative option, optimally using our predicted grades based on mock examinations and various types of courseworks over our two years in IB, such as IA’s and EE’s- similar to what was implemented by the IB during the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, the war has no signs of ending any time soon, and with the exams growing ever more closer under increasing pressure and stressful conditions, the need to cancel such dangerous examinations is growing too large to ignore.

As IB students in Oman, we are living under real and growing regional instability. The current situation is not normal—there are serious safety concerns, constant stress, and uncertainty affecting our ability to study and even feel secure. This is not just about exams; it’s about student well-being and fairness. We urgently call on the IB to cancel the May 2026 exams or provide an alternative assessment pathway for students in the Middle East. Ignoring this situation would put students under unreasonable and unsafe pressure.

THERE ARE MISSILES FLYING ABOVE MY HEAD, I AM IN CONSTANT PANIC AND I FEEL LIKE IM GONNA DIE IF I WRITE THESE EXAMS. CANCEL IT. MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A WRITTEN TEST

CANCEL NOW YUOU STUPID FREAKS

Please cancel

KILL THE EXAMS

Cancel the exams

Current conditions are unequal and unfair, the kids have lost countless days of school, and are now interrupted daily while studying due to alarms and fear. They are not even being given a chance to perform their best. You should prioritise student wellbeing - abide to the "learner profiles" you so highly preach. Do better...

Postpone the exams to another session or alternative assessments please.

I agree

CANCEL THE OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY