A group of parents of school students who had recently sat for the Grade Five Scholarship Exam yesterday (18) held a protest demanding that the Exam be annulled. The protest had been organised to express opposition to the education authorities’ plans to disregard three questions contained in the Exam paper as a response to the allegations that a model question paper shared on social media had contained three questions similar to them.
The matter is being investigated, and the authorities have promised to take more concrete decisions following the investigation. As per the reports, the investigation is looking into a teacher who has allegedly shared the said model question paper via social media.
While it is too early to reach any conclusion about the alleged incident, the perpetrator/s or the motives, question papers or questions being publicised prior to exams is not a new development. During the past few years, several such incidents have been reported, and many of those cases had the involvement of public school teachers or tuition teachers. One might even feel that these cannot be considered isolated incidents. Although exam question leaks may not be interconnected, they show a disturbing phenomenon where those tasked with educating students find a way to make a living out of it. In fact, in the backdrop of some of these ‘leaks’ in the past, social media platforms such as Facebook saw an increased enthusiasm among school students to join certain tuition classes conducted by teachers that had given model question papers with questions similar to those given in the actual exams.
One concerning observation about these incidents is that in most cases, if not all, these leaked exam questions were of school exams. In recent memory, such incidents have almost never been reported from universities, private higher education institutes, and public sector exams all of which hold a significant number of exams each year. Perhaps, it is time to take stringent measures covering the planning, conducting, and monitoring of school exams.
To enhance security during school exams, collaboration between the Police and the military can be considered. Although such arrangements are generally seen in instances such as elections, when it comes to protecting children’s education, no action can be too stringent. Establishing a comprehensive security plan that includes surveillance and patrols around establishments where exam papers get planned, prepared, printed, stored, and distributed can deter potential leaks. Additionally, training personnel on the importance of confidentiality and the methods used in exam fraud will increase awareness. Utilising technology, such as secure digital communication for distributing exam materials, can further safeguard against unauthorised access. Regular audits and inspections of exam paper preparations, especially printing and storing, will help ensure compliance with security protocols.
In addition, the integrity of those involved in this process should be taken extremely seriously. To avoid risks of exam papers getting leaked, the authorities will have to take unconventional steps. But, all for the greater good. The authorities can consider introducing laws and regulations preventing school teachers engaged in providing private tuition classes from being part of exam paper preparations. At the same time, in addition to education experts, exam paper preparation teams should consist of those with expertise in law and security. Conducting background checks of team members and placing restrictions such as not allowing personal digital devices within meeting rooms are some other measures that can be considered.
These ‘leaks’ are not just a violation of exams and other related laws. These are crimes with far-reaching impacts on the country’s next generation. A considerable share of school students’ academic activities has been dealt a heavy blow due to challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, and teachers’ strikes, and it was not long ago that the education sector started to get back on its feet. Students lost months’ worth of academic activities, and even now, many parents are questioning their ability to continue to send their children to school in the backdrop of the increased cost of living. In this context, the publicising of exam questions causes a serious setback for school students’ education, which has long-term impacts on students and parents.
In this Election season, we see the security measures that have been taken to ensure the lawful conduct of elections. Every step of the process is handled by a number of different officials, and every step is covered by additional security protocols in case the primary protocol fails. Such security and carefulness is necessary for exams as well. As elections, exams also have long-term impacts.