UK’s Pearson cancels International GCSE, A Level and iPLS exams in UAE  for May/June 2026

Dubai: UK exam board Pearson Edexcel on Thursday confirmed the cancellation of school exams across 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, International Schools.

She said the decision was taken "in consultation with local authorities and other international awarding bodies in response to the current situation, with the safety of students and staff placed first."

What comes next

Pearson said it is currently finalising alternative arrangements for the affected countries and has pledged to update schools as soon as these are confirmed, along with additional FAQs to guide schools through the process.

"We have long-standing, tried-and-tested contingency processes to support schools through any exam disruption," Whale said, adding that the body's priority would always be to support student progression "to the grade that reflects their performance."

Other countries unaffected

Pearson confirmed it intends to proceed with exams in all other countries 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've achieved," Whale noted.

Support available

The awarding body said it has written directly to centres in all countries to confirm next steps.

Whale said FAQs have been published for countries where the board currently intends exams to go ahead. "But we’re working on producing more guidance and FAQs for countries where exams are cancelled, and we’ll add them here once ready," she pointed out.

Schools with concerns or questions are encouraged to contact their local Regional Development Manager or reach out via Pearson's customer support portal.