Camera on, mobile phones prohibited; how do Emirati students take exams from home? After schools in the UAE abruptly transitioned to remote learning on Tuesday, thousands of final-year students were forced to conduct their critical and decisive exams from home under strict digital supervision instead of in the classroom. Previously, the UAE had canceled international final exams such as IGCSE, A-Level, and IB due to sudden regional developments related to the conflict between the USA, Israel, and Iran; an event that halted in-person education and returned schools to online learning. After a brief period of calm and the reopening of schools on April 20, emergency alerts issued across the UAE on May 4 prompted officials to prioritize student safety again, leaving schools with insufficient time to conduct in-person exams. Now, many schools are using internal assessments instead of official foreign exams to submit grades to international educational boards. One parent of an 11th-grade student explained that exams that were held at school last week are now conducted online, and students must keep their cameras on at all times; ensuring that their face, hands, and exam paper are clearly visible. He added: "Teachers may randomly ask students to show the entire room with their laptop, and the entire session is recorded. Keeping a mobile phone or headphones near the student is prohibited." Schools have emphasized that maintaining the integrity and security of exams in the online space is their main priority. Nord Anglia International School Dubai announced that it uses the Exam.net platform for conducting exams; a system that students and teachers have been trained on in advance. School officials say that precise online assessment policies have minimized the likelihood of cheating and preserved the integrity of the results. The Apple International School also stated that live monitoring, online supervision, and controlled assessment systems have played a significant role in maintaining exam standards. However, families say that taking exams from home presents its own specific challenges. Source: Gulf Times