KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: As Grade 12 students continue their final exams in the first semester of the academic year 2023/2024, the cheating in exams issue remains a headache for the Education Ministry, reports Al-Qabas daily. Cheating is a recurring problem that requires radical treatment and more effective measures through the coordinated efforts of the ministry and other concerned State agencies to deter those looking for ‘imaginary success’. This is in addition to educating generations about the dangerous impact of cheating on the quality of education. Despite the decrease in the number of cheating in exams cases towards the end of the first semester of the academic year 2023/2024 compared to previous years, cheating continues although the previous ‘cheating groups’ have been eliminated.

Statistics
According to official statistics, the number of students who were deprived of the chance to take the tests in the literary and scientific sections due to cheating reached 552 in 10 tests as of Sunday — 259 in the Literary Section and 293 in the Scientific Section; while the number of those who were not allowed to take the same tests due to cheating at the end of the first semester in academic year 2022/2023 reached 1,355. Observers noticed that over the past years, the ministry was able to strike successive blows to cheaters; the first of which was through the approval of exam regulations like depriving those proven to have cheated from taking the tests and implementation of the rotation mechanism for principals in 2018. Observers stated that with the elimination of cheating facilitators and test leakers and the arrest of what is known as ‘cheating groups’; the number of those deprived of a chance to take the tests is supposed to decrease as the cheating tools were no longer available, yet the issue is troubling the ministry. This necessitates a radical solution and strict monitoring during exams.

Headphones
Educational sector officials confirmed to the daily that comprehensive measures must be taken to address the issue. They pointed out that the sale of headphones used for cheating continues. They said the search for ‘imaginary success’ is a problem begging for a solution, indicating that concerted efforts to educate generations about the dangers of cheating are urgently needed. In addition, an official source disclosed that the ministries of Interior and Commerce are working together to arrest those behind the sale of headphones used for cheating.

The source said the two ministries fully prepared for the Grade 12 exams, as they conducted intensive campaigns in markets and stores known for selling headphones used in cheating; in addition to monitoring those selling these headphones through social networking sites and taking legal measures against them. The source stressed that these efforts and inspection campaigns have greatly contributed to reducing the sale of such headphones. He said dozens of people involved in selling these headphones through social networking sites were referred to the investigation authorities after they were caught red-handed.