Five people allegedly involved in facilitating Thanaweya Amma exam leaking on social media were arrested on Saturday, according to the Egyptian Interior Ministry.
Four of the suspects are accused of circulating the questions and answers of Thanaweya Amma exams on the internet, while the fifth one is accused of selling headphones to facilitate cheating, the ministry stated.
The ministry said the first suspect, based in Beni Suef, allegedly ran five social media pages to share and sell headphones to facilitate cheating, the ministry said, adding that two mobile phones, two small headphones, and EGP 12,000 were seized in the suspect’s residence.
The other four suspects are based in Sharqeya, Beheira, Al Badrashin (Giza), and Assiut are accused of creating and running social media pages to leak answers and questions of Thanaweya Amma exams, the ministry clarified.
Since Thanaweya Amma high school students across the country have begun their national exams last week, no exam passed without parts of it being leaked on social media.
Till date, students took their exams on Arabic and English Languages, applied math, religious education, and Economics and Statistics.
A student reportedly responsible for leaking the Arabic Language exam in an exam panel in Damietta last week has been subjected to some disciplinary sanctions.
Despite the repetition of the action over recent years, the ministry of education has failed to control the leaking process but did make an effort to set some rules to limit it.
Students are not allowed to possess a mobile or any electronic device during the exams (even if they are switched off). Anyone who attempts to print, publish, broadcast, or circulate exams can face more than a year of imprisonment and a fine that is between EGP 10,000 and EGP 50,000 as well as being deprived of taking exams.
