Algeria exercises complete internet shutdown during high school exams to flunk cheating attempts

A complete nationwide shutdown of Internet was implemented in Algeria during the two hours when the high school examinations took place. The Algerian government has decided to go all out this time to avoid the 2016 incident of question papers leaking online.

As per a report by The Guardian, devices with internet access, such as mobile phones and tablets, were banned from Algeria’s more than 2,000 exam centres. Metal detectors were set up at the entrance of the centres, education minister Nouria Benghabrit said.

Nouria Benghabrit, Education minister told Algerian national radio that the internet will be completely blocked for two hours nationwide every morning during the exams June 20 and 25.

In addition to taking down internet services, phone jammers and surveillance cameras have been installed in locations where the exam papers were printed. This move comes after the government decided to limit access to social media last year. That step did not give the desired results.

She was quoted in a report by The Independent, “We have put in place a technical device that consists of suspending the internet connection and block social networks from Wednesday to prevent the leaking of baccalaureate subjects.” Facebook will also be completely shut down during the five days the exam takes place.