Ofqual says there has been an increase in “hi-tech” cheating in exams.
Once up on a time, to cheat in a school exam would mean peering closely over your friend’s shoulder to see what they were writing, and hoping Mr. Smith wouldn’t notice.
In this day and age, a small device in your pocket, or even your ear, can provide you with all of the answers, with none of that risky stretching. And Ofqual, the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England, says that this type of cheating is on the up.
Searching online for devices to “aid” exam performance, finds numerous sites offering gadgets to get you the information discreetly, and in this growing business, the schools and exam boards are having to play catch up, and quickly. Ways to jam or block signals have been trialed and some dismissed, with other ideas still awaiting approval.
But in a country where university entrance is becoming harder to get, is it fair that a small percentage of entrants are there on the basis of others work? And how should this be tackled if it later comes to light that they did not truly earn their place or grades?
