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Algeria switches off entire country's Internet to stop school children cheating in exams

<em>Algeria has turned off the Internet so students cannot cheat in exams (Rex/posed by models)</em>
Algeria has turned off the Internet so students cannot cheat in exams (Rex/posed by models)

With the advent of smartphones, cheating in exams is easier now than it has ever been.

However, Algeria have come up with a way to stop anyone sneaking a peek on Google during school exams – they are switching the ENTIRE country’s Internet off.

Mobile and fixed line Internet services will be switched off for an hour after the start of each high school diploma exam, the country’s education minister has announced.

<em>Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit said the country could not ‘passively’ accept any leaks (Wikipedia)</em>
Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit said the country could not ‘passively’ accept any leaks (Wikipedia)

The drastic move comes after questions were leaked online before and during exams in 2016.

The blackouts will be enforced from 20-25 June.

Education minister Nouria Benghabrit told Algerian newspaper Annahar the the government were ‘not comfortable’ with the decision but ‘we should not passively stand in front of such a possible leak’.

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Ms also confirmed that Facebook would be blocked across the country throughout the entire period.

As well as the Internet blackout, all electronic devices with Internet access for both students and school staff have been banned from all exam halls.

Metal detectors have also been set up at exam hall entrances, while surveillance cameras and mobile phone jammers have been installed at exam printing presses.