By Maldives Insight Staff

MALE’, Maldives – The Ministry of Education has announced the reinstatement of the May/June A-Level Edexcel examination series for private candidates in the Maldives, effective from this year. This decision reverses a previous halt in 2019 and aims to address significant challenges faced by students.

The May/June A-Level Edexcel examinations were discontinued in the Maldives in 2019. Following changes to the academic calendar during the COVID-19 pandemic, these examinations had been exclusively conducted in the October/November series since 2020.

This shift presented several difficulties for students. A primary concern was the insufficient time available for candidates to retake examinations and improve their results if they performed poorly. Consequently, students who opted for resits often found their eligibility for the A-Level Top 10 recognition and national scholarships delayed by an entire year. In response to these issues, students had previously submitted a petition advocating for the reintroduction of the May/June examination series.

In a statement released today, the Ministry of Education highlighted a significant financial burden experienced by students. Statistics indicated that the cessation of the May/June exams compelled many students to travel abroad to sit for their examinations, incurring expenses exceeding MVR 30,000 solely for travel and accommodation.

To alleviate these challenges, the Ministry confirmed its decision to resume the May/June examination series in the Maldives for private candidates wishing to undertake A-Level Edexcel subjects. Further details regarding the May/June series will be disseminated by the Department of Public Examinations starting from the 4th of this month.

(File Photo: Students who achieved top results in secondary and higher secondary examinations. Photo: Ministry of Education)