Exam boards have defended a move not to scrap fees despite taking the decision to cancel tests because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials argued various administrative costs continued to justify their charges, which in some cases can amount to thousands of dirhams.
Boards said they understood exams fees remained a “pressing issue” for many parents given the unique current circumstances of mass school closures.
Some said they would consider refunding costs at a later date while others announced they would freeze fees rather than raising prices.
“We understand fees are a pressing issue for many schools and families following the cancellation of exams this summer,” said a spokesman for Pearson Edexcel, a board that sets international GCSE exams in 80 counties, including the UAE.
“As well as paying for the writing and marking of exams and the moderation or verification of non-examined assessment, exam fees pay for the provision of comprehensive support and training.
“We’re working hard to understand the full impact of the cancellation of the 2020 exam series.
“Once we fully understand how this impacts on all aspects of our fees and associated costs, we are committed to returning any costs not incurred back to customers.”
Distance learning has become the new normal for millions of pupils around the world since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Governments had no choice but to take the draconian measure to close schools as part of efforts to reduce infection rates.
In the Emirates, education authorities announced schools would shut in March and instead launched a range of online learning platforms.
Some schools reacted by agreeing to offer discounts on fees, providing much-needed financial assistance to families, some of whom lost jobs as a result of the pandemic.
Repton in Dubai and British School Al Khubairat (Bsak) in Abu Dhabi – two of the country's highest-ranked schools – both cut fees by 15 per cent, for example.
Yet despite these school fee reductions, exam boards themselves have proved less willing to alter their cost structures.
One parent said he had been forced to pay more than Dh2,500 for his child to sit three exams, none of which had taken place.
In a statement to The National, Cambridge Assessment International Education said it was doing everything it could to support schools and pupils.
The UK-based exam board operates across 160 countries in nine regions, providing education programmes and qualifications for 5 to 19-year-olds.
“We will be helping schools further by freezing our standard fees for the November 2020 exam series at the same level as the standard June 2020 exam series fees,” a spokeswoman said.
“Our first priority has always been for the safety of students and those working in schools.
“We have worked hard to put in place the systems and processes to allow us to standardise and award grades in the June series, enabling students to move forward with their future study and career plans.”
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