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Re: Minimising the damage of the pandemic Covid-19 on our children at Kuwait National English School

Dear Secondary parents,

During these challenging and uncertain times, I want to assure you that, it’s normal to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or worried for your own health, as well as that of your family and friends. As the superbug spreads its claws further into communities it became inevitable to shut down schools, lock down the whole country and imposing curfew as part of the fight against the novel coronavirus. Students, parents, Heads and teachers are just as at risk as anyone else.

External Examination from the United Kingdom (Year 11, 12 & 13): 

Cambridge and Edexcel/Pearson have decided not to run international examinations in the May/June 2020 series in any country. This includes Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS & A Level. Cambridge will assess students’ achievements using the best available evidence. Students will have the opportunity to receive a grade for qualifications where an entry has been made. These will be awarded using the same principles as the UK where students will not have exams in May/June 2020. Further information will be available in the coming days confirming the process to be followed.

Year (7 – 10) students from Kuwait National English School:

Ideally as a British school delivering the British National curriculum and using the examination boards from the United Kingdom the academic year starts in September and ends in June. Our aim is to carry on with the curriculum and cover the third term using the e-learning. Hence finding an alternative path so that Covid-19 do not affect the children normal educational journey and university acceptance.

We can spend endless hours discussing the requirement and success of the technology based learning and I am sure you will agree with me that nothing will be able to replace the classroom teaching. However, under the present circumstance the gain out of the e-learning path is definitely more promising for the children. In a nutshell the pupil will save a full year. This pandemic is disturbing everybody, as an administrator and a parent, I am trying to minimize the damage this invisible enemy is doing to our children as much as possible. Universities around the world are on their knees in providing e-learning, schools are not any better!

I am sure you will agree with me if the academic year is altered there will be repercussion later on in taking part in external examinations from the UK, university acceptance, etc.  As a parent, I would definite prefer that my daughter take her IGCSE and starts university on time; instead of one year later. 

At this stage, our priority is to look after the advantage and well-being of our children. We can have our own opinion and side but the future of our children must come first. 

Relying on your usual cooperation.

Thanks and regards,

Dr. Raouf Khodabocus, BSc, MSc, PhD, FCIC (Canada)

Head of Secondary, Kuwait National English School