The Algerian government shut down the Internet on Wednesday as the nation’s high school-age kids take their exams to prevent cheating, officials announced.
The pre-planned blackouts will continue for the whole period of exams, until Monday, to impede cheating among more than 700,000 students.
Mobile and fixed internet connections were cut across the country for almost two hours in order to prevent leaking of questions.
Meanwhile, electronics with internet access, such as mobile phones and tablets, were banned this year from Algeria’s nearly 2,000 exam centres.
Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit said surveillance cameras and cell phone jammers have been set up at the entrance to the exam centres and in locations where the exam papers were printed.
Ali Kahlane, president of telecoms association AOTA, said operators were expected to abide by the government’s demands.
Last year, operators were asked by authorities to shut down access to social media, but the move could not entirely end the problem.
Latecomers were not allowed to take the exam and instead had to attend a specially organised test.
> Shiuly Rina
Algeria Remains Offline to Stop Cheating during High School Exams
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