The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Education has uncovered the names and identities of individuals involved in leaking the grade 12 math exam in a large WhatsApp group.
According to Khaleej Times, some 5,500 students and mothers were included in a chat group on the social messaging platform, which received a photo snapped of the exam minutes after it started last week.
The photo of the exam was shared within the first five minutes after the test was given to students. However, mobile phones are completely prohibited during the test, and it remains unclear how a student was able to bring the device into the exam.
"It is prohibited to photo-copy or share the exam paper before or after an exam through e-mail, social media or by any means," the ministry said, The National reported. However, the ministry also said it would keep the future interests of any involved students in mind as it proceeds with the investigation.
For now, involved students will be banned from taking all their third term examinations, while also receiving a zero in all grades. The proctors of the examination will also be investigated, as the mobile device's presence during the test is considered a serious violation.
The Ministry of Education also issued a general warning via Instagram, saying violators will be found and punished.
While cheating is common around the world, experts in the UAE noted that there is a noticeable decline in the country in the past few years.
Dr. Hamdi Al Sheibani, head of the office of academic integrity at Abu Dhabi University, told The National that when it comes to coursework, its becoming increasingly difficult for students to get away with dishonest practices. Al Sheibani cited that he had only noted eight cases of cheating in the most recent term as opposed to 30 in the previous year.
"Awareness is the main challenge. Many people don’t realise what they’re doing is cheating and our role is to change those attitudes," he said, also explaining that some schools in the country don't adequately address the problem. "There are certain schools that I have found in my own research, which create that culture [of cheating]."
“Those that put pressure on students with exams and encourage memorization usually turn out as the students inclined to cheat," he said. "Those students from schools like the IB curriculum, which teach that exams aren’t everything tend to be much less likely to cheat."