The Ministry of Education has revealed alarming cases of malpractice in national examinations, with students from some of the top schools caught cheating in last year’s Year 12 exams.

Acting Director of Examinations and Assessment, Sereseini Lesi says seven cases were recorded in the 2024 Year 12 exams, mostly in technical subjects.

Under the 2017 Examination Policy, any student found guilty of malpractice should automatically receive a zero for that subject.

However, Lesi says officers within the unit have often exercised leniency, awarding reduced marks instead.
Lesi says students were caught smuggling handwritten notes, printed materials, textbook cuttings, and even using smartwatches and mobile phones in last year’s Year 12 exams.

“Most of these were caught by the chief supervisors, and there was a case where the marker was able to identify this malpractice, where the child was actually copying from a page of a textbook, cut from a page of a textbook, taken to the examination room, and that was used during the examination time.”

Lesi stresses that it is the responsibility of school leaders and examination coordinators to ensure students enter exam halls free from prohibited items.

With another set of national examinations to begin soon, Lesi is urging principals to tighten supervision and support chief supervisors in upholding the rules.

“A new thing that we are initiating from the examination office, the chief supervisor will also be writing their confidential report about how they carried out their responsibility in their respective schools.”

The Acting Director also warns heads of schools not to block students from sitting national exams without proper authorisation.

She highlighted that eligibility issues, compassionate passes, and other exceptions must strictly follow policy to ensure students are not deprived of their rightful opportunity.

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