Coronavirus effect on exams

Any update from the institute via mails to anyone?

 

the final draft version 3

 

Which will tell us that the final draft version 4 will tell us what we need to know.

 

Seriously! Still no update from IFoA! That's seriously upsetting! I can't understand why it's taking so long - surely they would have had more than enough time to explore all the avenues by now! Come on IFoA!

 

Going to send another mail now

 

Let's wait for another 8-10 hours. Today they will give an update for sure.

They are delaying it because they are testing the online examination platform for the written exams. Also, they might be looking for any positive update which would allow them to go forward with the exams.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the case. If the IFOA wanted to cancel they'd have done so days/weeks ago.

I expect exams to be moved online, possibly with a short postponement to facilitate setting up the online system.

 

Either way, they expected to announce something yesterday, so the way I see it was either:

a) going to release that they were online, but found a bug or something went wrong, jeopardising this.

b) going to postpone/cancel, but then decided they maybe missed one final possible solution.

either way it’s disgraceful that we still don’t know.

If at this late stage, regardless of the answer I’ll be lodging a complaint.

 

They cannot ask every student to opt for the online platform. People will simply deny the paper and might even take legal action against the institute as the institute has clearly mentioned that the written papers are a 3-hour paper based exam, and not an online exam. So they will have to give the students an option to choose from. Those who wish to take the online platform can do so, but they will have to meet certain criteria like having a webcam, etc etc.

Those who don't wish to go for online platform might get the option of either paper cancellation with refund or option of sitting it in September attempt.

One query i wish to know is, those who are not under the reduced rate scheme, what is the exam permit date being shown to you in your login? Is the September 2020 date being shown only for those students who are under the reduced rate scheme or is it being shown to everyone? Anyone reading this, can you please check and confirm. For mine, being under the reduced rate it is showing 8 September 2020. What about those not under reduced rates?

 

For mine, not reduced rates it also says 8th September 2020.

 

Thanls for the confirmation. So they have made the change for all students. We will surely get a concrete update today. Fingers crossed, hoping for the best!

 

Just very frustrating when you feel like you were preparing well for the exam and now its been completly thrown off course

 

Yeah mine is 8th September too. (non reduced).

Whilst I agree with the first part of this including legal action, I really cannot fathom how they could have requirements like webcam etc on the exam. I think at that point they will have realised that the exams simply cannot go ahead.
For example, what happens if a kid walks into the room during the exam? Is that an instant DQ? An instant fail?
Seems harsh and realistically not feasible under an exam setting.

It'll be interesting to see what they do do in the end, IF THEY EVER DECIDE.

I'm still 99% certain they will be postponed/cancelled.

 

Can you please let me know how to lodge a complaint please? I will be doing so as well. Thanks.

 

I am not under reduced rate and my exam permit shows 8 September 2020 as well.

 

Where can we check our exam permits from?

 

I wouldnt say this is the case 100%, they could easily be updating other aspects of the website to reflect knock on changes that a cancellation or a postponement would have.

 

If you log in to your IFoA account, go to 'My Account' then 'My exams' and then 'Review exam bookings and permits'

 

How do you move the exams online and ensure that there is no widespread cheating?

Recording sessions - all well and good - but so many unanswered questions

Poor Bandwidth - what happens there - will student get a refund?
Student has webcam on - but notes on computer
Student leaves room and reads notes in next room
Student can't type as fast as they can write - what do you do in that instance?
More than one student in the house is sitting the same and only kitchen available - so they have to do it together
IfoA reguest non wireless connection - but majoirty of students won't have an earth connection - so what then?
What to do you somone in Canada or Oz - do they sit the exam at same time as everyone else - for CP2/Cp3 you don't need to be remember technical knowledge so it's just about ok - but couldn't be doing that for an SP or fellowship exam for instance.
What's to stop a lad in Oz sending the online exam over to the lad in Canada if they end up doing it at different times?


I think it took the institue 5 attempts at the CP2/CP3 exam online before there were no problems - that's over 2 years of testing in live environment - they have tops a week here?

 

Finally updated. Some exams online some not

 

Where are you seeing this??