Education Ministry: No GCE papers were leaked

Education Ministry has stated that an exam paper of the IGCSE, GCE O’ Level examination that is currently ongoing has not been leaked.

The Ministry’s statement comes at a time some teachers from Male’ City schools and parents have expressed discontent over suspicions of students being aware of questions in GCE and SSC papers ahead of the exam.

Commenting on the matter, Education Ministry’s Deputy Minister Mohamed Ihsaan told Sun that no such incidents have taken place.

A teacher who spoke to Sun under the condition of anonymity refuted this; saying these issues were observed during a couple of paper.

The teacher claims that some student made aware of the questions that would be on the exam paper had shared the information they had with other students.

As per the teacher – some students after completing the examination had remarked previously having seen the exam paper.

The teacher detailed that after receiving questions from friends on a plain paper – some students had practiced the questions whilst others had not as they did not believe the same questions would be on the exam paper.

Citing a tweet by Department of Public Examination (DPE) regarding the reprint of SSC Dhivehi paper one over a printing mistake –  another teacher said that Thaajudheen School students who sat for the exam complained that Islam paper was stapled with the Dhivehi paper when they received it.

Underscoring that each paper is printed separately, whereas there are individuals to check each paper – a parent stressed this was unacceptable.  

“The reason is, if the first exam is Islam – then Islam paper would be printed first. After printing, the chief examiner would review whether there are any issues on the paper. Then three members from the committee will check. Following this, they would sign for the paper – after which only further prints would be done. If there are excess papers after printing – it had to be burned,” a teacher had explained.

The parent said that printing of two papers together was not the previously followed regulation – whereas had two papers been printed together, it is likely that teachers teaching both subjects would have seen both papers.

Speaking further, the teacher said that a well-known Dhivehi teacher was contacted by students across the country, asking the same question.

Therewith, the teacher alleged students having known the type of questions which would come in the Dhivehi paper.

Noting that there was insufficient time to reprint the Dhivehi paper and sent to islands – the teacher alleged that some papers were sent to islands via email after which the school had printed the papers and given them to students.

Another parent said that when students had gone home after completing yesterday’s Chemistry exam – the exam paper was shared on groups with answers.