Mailing examination papers to schools

About 75,000 candidates for a May session require nearly 750,000 separate examination papers to be printed and mailed to 1,200 schools in over 100 countries. This is a complicated enterprise that is handled by an external printing company, one that specializes in printing confidential documents in a secure environment. Over many years, the IBO’s examination paper production department (EPPD) has built up its own considerable expertise in this field, learning from experience, forging dependable working relationships with printers and examiners, and making contingency plans for the unexpected.

EPPD establishes a production schedule that ensures examination papers arrive in schools about several weeks before the start of the examinations. This allows for any delays that might occur worldwide, particularly delays arising from customs clearance. It also allows time for any discrepancies in consignments to be rectified. Inevitably, there are factors beyond the control of the IBO that may conspire to seriously delay a few consignments, but with the help of the schools concerned, and often their IBO regional office, any obstacles can be overcome and examinations start on time. The consignments also include the coversheets that candidates attach to their scripts. These coversheets are customized to each candidate and examination and so provide each script with its unique identity. The careful and accurate completion of these coversheets by candidates, and by coordinators if candidates are absent, is an essential link in the administrative chain.