This country went offline to stop cheating in school exam

African nation Algeria went offline yesterday to stop cheating in high school exams. The move was part of a series of internet blackouts to be carried out in Algeria to stop students from cheating. Mobile and fixed internet lines were cut across the country for two hours, to coincide with the start of two school tests.

Internet services were cut "in compliance with instructions from the government, aimed at ensuring the high school diploma tests run smoothly," Algerie Telecom told AFP.

The pre-planned blackouts are due to continue for the whole period of exams, until Monday, to combat cheating among more than 700,000 students.


The 2016 exam season was marred by widespread cheating, with exam questions published on social media before or at the start of the test. Last year, authorities requested operators to shut down access to social media, but the move did not entirely end the problem.

Latecomers were banned from taking the exam and instead had to attend a specially organised test.

Electronics with internet access, such as mobile phones and tablets, were this year banned from Algeria's more than 2,000 exam centres.

Metal detectors have meanwhile been set up at the entrance to the centres, Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit said.

In a further move to prevent questions being leaked, the minister said mobile phone jammers and surveillance cameras had been installed in locations where the exam papers are printed.

(Inputs from AFP)