Algeria to introduce stiffer controls on baccalaureate exams
2008-04-21
Algeria's National Education Ministry is preparing an "anti-cheating" plan for the baccalaureate examination, leaving teachers, parents and pupils to question the implications.
By Mouna Sadek for Magharebia in Algiers – 21/04/08
 [Getty Images] Some Algerian teachers fear that police officers stationed outside schools during the baccalaureate examination could disturb students and cause their performance to suffer. Others support the move. |
Students taking the baccalaureate examinations in Algeria on June 7th will face tighter supervision and oversight and stricter grading. Education Minister Boubakeur Benbouzid's announcement on the subject early this month received a mixed welcome from teachers and candidates. While some agree the government should make every effort to eliminate fraud, others feel that stiffer arrangements could unnecessarily raise students' stress levels.
The plan, which calls for increasing the number of monitors and tightening security in testing centres, could heighten "fear of the blank sheet", some teachers fear. "This plan will stress pupils," said Algiers natural sciences teacher Mrs Salhi. "The fact of seeing police officers at examination centres may disturb them, and their performance will suffer," she concluded.
One philosophy teacher, who preferred not to be named, feels differently. He said that in grading centres, he often found identical answers on different test forms. "This is all the more strange when you’re dealing with philosophy essays," he said. "Candidates who get through the bac by cheating will not get far. They’re deluding themselves, because whatever they do, their level of ability will still be low."
Like him, other teachers say they have been "shocked" at the worsening problem of cheating. "Pupils don’t even try to copy discreetly," said Mrs Habib, a retired French teacher. "They don’t seem to take it seriously that this sort of action could cost them a five-year ban on sitting for the bac."
The education minister said in a recent media interview that 175 cases of flagrant cheating were reported during the 2007 baccalaureate examinations, compared with 17 in the elementary exam (BEF). More than 80% of these were committed by private candidates.
"We are going to increase the number of monitors and tighten up security across the whole process," Benbouzid said, adding that there will be a threefold increase in pay for graders.
Many students in their final year remain sceptical about the education ministry’s anti-cheating plan.
"There are two views: a good student will tell you they don’t have the time to cheat and see what’s going on around them. The time you have is barely enough to answer the questions. A bad student will tell you that cheating techniques have been developed so well that nothing or no-one could stop them," said Mustapha, fourth-year secondary pupil studying experimental science.
Other pupils feel that the initiative is a good idea. "In the exams, classmates who cheat irritate us by asking questions. It’s the good pupils in particular who suffer from this," said Linda Saidoun, a private candidate taking the bac for the second time. Her mother, a primary school teacher, called the plan "ludicrous".
"Our children are not cheats," she said. "I've supervised the baccalaureate examinations on a number of occasions, and I’ve never seen any cases of cheating. There must certainly be some dishonest pupils, but in my opinion these are isolated cases. These measures, as they have been presented to us, are disproportionate," she added.
Benbouzid said that the new policy will help to maintain the credibility and international value of the Algerian diploma. "I am not prepared to see the international esteem in which it is held being knocked, because that would harm our children and do them a disservice," he said. "I will defend the value of the bac."
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boras Posted 2008-04-21
About time, this is welcome news!
debache Posted 2008-04-22
Hello. I am for oversight for risk prevention, but not the surveillance of students in the courses. Thank you
tarekpsycho Posted 2008-04-22
Cheating is a deteriorating phenomenon in all Arab countries. So we cannot just speak of Algeria but all developing countries' experiences, including such phenomenon in Morocco, Tunisia and the Gulf. Thank you.
hocine Posted 2008-04-22
The state is mocking us. Cheating is not done just on the part of the students, but also by the professors and the high-ups. For example, if a college student wants to pass, she has to sleep with the professor. This is no joke; this is the reality of Algeria. Take a look for yourself.
محمد زايدي Posted 2008-04-23
The unemployment rate has exceeded its limit. I think that this strict control will undermine the rate of success whether they cheat or not.
zedira moussa Posted 2008-04-24
I sat for the baccalaureate exams two times, by God there were catastrophes in cheating, what is humiliating is that proctors encourage this phenomenon…By the way, I am from Algeria…Say the right even if it is bitter… Most students here even the smartest have cheated…Oh Lord guide us, guide our teachers and the guards of the baccalaureate exams…
ياسين Posted 2008-04-24
The phenomenon of cheating is alarmingly increasing especially in Algeria. The best evidence to this is the level of students at university. Therefore, I support the decision of minister of education Boubker Benbouzid and hope that this will be achieved.
ريمة Posted 2008-04-24
I think that they must finish the programme and think of strict control.
algerien-age de 60ans Posted 2008-04-24
Algerian universities produce those who go on to be unemployed. Since 1978, the majority of universities are not qualified at all. They are worthless and the proof is in the engineers nowadays who do not know anything and who are not as qualified to work. Companies like those of the Chinese have begun educating Algerian engineers as if they have never been to a university. Then, there is the example of computer scientists who do not know Macro in management systems, DOS, Citrix or even algorithms. How did they become computer scientists? This is nothing but nonsense. Grab a shovel and a pickaxe and put some elbow grease into building your future. Like they say, you need to find a job in order to live, not for leisure. In Europe, the universities function in all sectors in order to earn money. They even help workers so they do not stay unemployed. There are a lot of projects that have yet to come to light because of the workers' (lack of) qualifications.
Anonymous Posted 2008-04-24
It would seem that you forgot that we are living in a police state.
منال Posted 2008-04-25
I say as you have said, the cheating phenomenon is deteriorating in Arab countries. I think that increasing the number of monitors is acceptable, but security isn't the best method....hahahaha. By God, this is the story of Bayouna in the series of 'Nass Mlah City' (People of Mlah City).
wiame Posted 2008-04-25
I consider this idea exaggerated, because it isn’t the best way and leads to the inability of the student to answer with total relaxation. I hope that they will reconsider this decision because it is useless and there are other places which require protection more than the baccalaureate centres.
marouene Posted 2008-04-25
Help the students of the old programme.
naciri Posted 2008-04-27
So move, then, if you are going to say that Algeria is a police state. Or, avert your gaze in order to diffuse your poisoning and vilification of Algeria. Go take a look at the real police states— Morocco and Tunisia. Try to open your mind up, if you have the courage to do so.
nadia Posted 2008-04-27
I am taking the bac in June, and I am even more stressed out having learned of this news. I am against such measures. They think we are less than nothing. This new programme of theirs is already intense. I have my doubts about the success rate. Good luck to all the candidates.
Anonymous Posted 2008-04-29
The cheating is blatant, the students get help from the high school teachers, and the schoolmasters close their eyes for the difficult classes. When one of the students pulls a knife on you in class, what is the teacher to do if he is the only one in class? There is no need to hide the reality; our abilities are low; students cannot manage to follow so they cheat. We need to give more consideration to the teachers, Mr. Minister, as they are the key to success and, yet, they are currently the victims of the students and the system!!!
خديجة Posted 2008-04-29
In the name of God most gracious most merciful. I am a student in the high school Laghouat. I will take the baccalaureate exam and I am very concerned about getting good grades a result of what is said about stiffer control which leads to destabilisation and difficulties in concentration. Honestly, we heard many things about that at the beginning of the year. We heard in our high school at the beginning of the year that there will be a cheating law like last year. This led to carelessness and laziness of students because they heard that the policy of cheating is admissible. Honestly, it is the mistake of teachers, if they hadn’t talked about this policy, there would have been more concern and carefulness to studies. The second thing is that the programme is complicated and unclear. There were many alterations to the change of last year. Honestly, our teachers and the ministry of education don’t care about the student. The policy is intended to raise their names, they say that they will work and implement it first in order to gain fame. Finally, God willing, we’ll get good results and pass with our efforts, oh Lord.
نتالي Posted 2008-04-29
Honestly, I think that you are frightening students. I think that you are exaggerating. Are poor students going to take an exam or fight? Security is abundant, may God assist them oh Lord.
tarek Posted 2008-04-30
Even if Benbouzid controls me, I will cheat.
ZORO Posted 2008-05-07
Cheating on the baccalaureate examination for the technical aptitude diploma (B.A.T.) was at its fullest and I am in a good place to say this. 25 out of 100 secondary-school teachers tolerate it, 50 out of 100 of professors pretend that they did not see anything and 75 out of 100 of the overseers encourage it. Before each part of the observed testing, some of them had discussions with the candidates and rejected all responsibility in favour of others: “He/she is going to be doing the observing; I am not doing anything.” As for the heads of the teaching staff, they closed their eyes to the clashes between the cheating candidates and honest observers. The height of it all is that the positions at the head of the baccalaureate centre are filled with personnel who do not even have baccalaureates. What a catastrophe this is. Fraud is encouraged at will in order to debase this diploma to the point of no return. Benbouzid is fully responsible for what is going on at this level and I am calling him out on it!!!
soumia Posted 2008-05-13
Peace and mercy of God upon you. Cheating in the exams is a widespread phenomenon in our country. Thank you.
سوسو Posted 2008-05-18
What is this? By God, you are really exaggerating… By God, the only thing missing is that you put mines in the classrooms for candidates so that when the student thinks of cheating they will blow up, ha ha ha lol. This is a war, not an exam...
آية الله Posted 2008-05-20
I am a teacher and I often participate in the inspection process during the baccalaureate exams. The cheating phenomenon is widespread among students for the following reasons: 1- The inspectors: some of them seem not to be concerned about the inspection process even if they see some students cheating. 2- In some centres, the secretariat team is not very strict when the phenomenon is reported to them. 3- The inspectors are threatened by students and the absence of security leads to reckless control. But some do their duty in the best way in spite of difficulties and threats.
élève scandalisé Posted 2008-05-20
Finally!!! If what is written is true, then I am outraged by what went on during the test period. The monitors themselves are giving drafts to the students, destabilizing the good candidates. But, is it possible to fight against fraud if it does not take place while the test is going on? Last minute changes are going on in the directorate’s office. And, fraud occurs even after the official results have been announced. The grade given on the list is not the same as the one posted so that the candidate can be admitted afterwards. Don’t be shocked. This goes on in plain sight of everybody. So, why are you against the new system of monitoring and correction? Bravo! And, bravo again for this new exam! Maybe I will plan on taking my baccalaureate exam again.
menahda Posted 2008-05-27
God alone will punish for such stiffer controls. Of course they will increase our tensions. For example in last year’s exam, such threats were the cause of my absence from the exam from fear that they will suspect me without cause and so they eliminate me from the exam. Leave us be, God alone is the punisher. Stop humiliating us in international events. Of all the countries in the world, we alone have problems all year long from the severity of such clashes which have no meaning except strike like every year.
راميمات Posted 2008-05-28
I am sorry to be a witness to the tragedy of the baccalaureate 2007. I present to you my testimony with honesty and with sourness as an administrator in one of the centres. About 90% contributed to organized cheating. From the director of education who called on the phone the director of the centre about the necessity to organize cheating. In his turn the director of the centre called for a meeting with the administrative board in the evening. He explained to them the content of the phone call. On the morning of the following day, the vice-president of the centre was excluded and members of the secretariat were assigned to their office because they refused the dirty game and the honest people were dispensed from monitoring. The centre was transformed into a market. The students were wandering between the classrooms which were under the control of one person only. The answers are brought either by parents or by the police and sometimes by civil protection. A queue of students was leaning from the wall and throwing papers, and students came to take them. The baccalaureate exam went on like this. We shouldn’t forget that the cell which was set up and made up of a group of directors which war called during these days as the network which were organizing the group of teachers to solve the questions, print them and distribute them to institutes then to the classrooms. This nice network is made up of a group of directors who have all made their pilgrimage, pray in the first rank and hold beads in their hands all the time. Finally, to the director: if you know of this, it is with your consent because this director is still on duty. But if you don’t know, it is a bigger catastrophe. I confirm to you that what I said is part of the reality and that it doesn’t include any atom of imagination or exaggeration. God is witness to what I say. Salam.
grifa Posted 2008-05-29
Cheating isn't good. But God is the most powerful. The head is empty and we must say my brothers that these are predestined fates, hahaha.
said Posted 2008-05-30
I would like to know if the tripling of the premium of corrections applies to all levels in general or is only specific to the baccalaureate exams? Thank you in advance for any explanations you can offer me. Educationally, Said
ان الغش ظاهرة متفاقمة في الدول العربية كلها .وبالت Posted 2008-06-01
There are many geniuses, I mean geniuses in informatics, electronics, poetry, drama and politics who have succeeded outside the university. Imagine that they have made academic studies, we would have seen unimaginable things. I will tell you something, I cheated in the baccalaureate but wait, I have obtained other diplomas without cheating: “senior technician in informatics, senior technician in electricity and senior technician in urbanism, the first academic diploma of Cisco and I am completing studies in it. The baccalaureate isn’t a criterion for cheating or not cheating. I don’t understand anything in history and geography, sciences, philosophy and Arabic. But I am very good in physics, mathematics and practical works. Cheating in the baccalaureate whether increased or decreased doesn’t worsen or improve my educational level. I will tell you something. There is a friend who passed the baccalaureate with 14.36. Now he is repeating the first year of pharmacy institute for the fourth time in Annaba. Thank you.
nounoucha Posted 2008-06-02
I think that these stiffer controls are going to make the students fail. The Algerian students are devils!
maro Posted 2008-06-03
No, cheating won't take you anywhere.
NANSI Posted 2008-06-04
Decades have passed and people are cheating in the baccalaureate and go to university even if these people don’t deserve it. But there was this decision and there was a wonder whether it will change. I don’t think that this is the solution to right success, because the solution isn’t in supervision. With my wishes of success to all the candidates with the will of God.
Larbi Iftene Posted 2008-06-05
Hi, I am in my last year as a student in the arts and philosophy (In the new programme). I do not see why the police and gendarmes will be in the exam centres!!!??? And, I do not see why they are prohibiting cheating, since they themselves—all the people in charge—are cheaters!!! Algeria is one big cheat! How can they want us not to cheat if the people in charge are cheaters and swindlers? In any case, I am not counting on cheating. Good luck to all the baccalaureate candidates!
oussama derbal Posted 2008-06-12
Salam alikoum. The problem isn’t about cheating, stiff control or security. The real problem which should be studied is the system which controls it. Algeria's pupils and students have become testing field or rather lab mice. The programmes which are invalid in foreign countries are thrown to Algeria to study them and spot the flaw by ruining the future of the sons of Algeria. You are free to criticize me…
amin Posted 2008-06-12
Honestly, the phenomenon of cheating is invading the Algerian society. But the phenomenon of buying results is spreading to an incredible degree. So what is the situation of the poor hard-working candidate in a society which only recognizes money as a tool to achieve goals?
Anonymous Posted 2008-06-15
My opinion is that making controls stiffer is not a solution, Ben Bouzid. You have made Algerian students into guinea pigs because you are careless or unconcerned about your office and things were mixed up for you because you are unable to handle responsibility. I ask you to raise the rate of success for this year because it is in your interest, this is better for you so that it won't have a negative impact on your office Mr the minister, in some way, hahahaha.
أمينة Posted 2008-06-18
Salam alikoum. I would like to express my dismay at this prevalent phenomenon especially in the baccalaureate certificate or cheating certificate. Frequently the negligence of the supervisors contributes to it as well as the absence of conscience of the candidates. I passed this exam in 2006 and I am, praise be to God, happy with that because I relied on God and on myself. But unfortunately, and even now at university, students are cheating. They don’t understand that at this level, they are only cheating themselves. As the Hadith says “Those who cheat us don’t belong to us”.
لخضــٍر Posted 2008-07-03
We know that cheating isn’t good. But when the students can’t answer, contemplates that the year is over and he has no other solution.
ملاك Posted 2008-07-04
All of society is silent about cheating, especially parents. Is there a single parent who tells to his son not to cheat???
lamlouma Posted 2008-07-06
Three days are left before we see the results of this severity.
ZAKI Posted 2008-07-07
Success to all the students, God willing.
wafa Posted 2008-07-08
Hello, I am a teacher. It is like hell for me on the day we have to monitor the baccalaureate exams, because, personally, I am strict and honest. Punishing students who cheat is necessary for the credibility of the exam.
مصطفى Posted 2008-07-16
I am Mostafa Rabia from Algeria. I want the result of all the subjects of the baccalaureate exam. This is my registration number 5090354.
فيصل Posted 2008-08-16
Thank you for this help.
ZAKI Posted 2008-10-03
Honestly, I agree with everything that has been said. My opinion is the same as the others: we need to do away with the overloading inherent to this programme. Personally, I took my baccalaureate examination last year, but came out with no results: I failed it in spite of making progress, something that offers you nothing. I hope that this minister will have a bit of compassion for the candidates from this year’s programme. Good luck everybody!
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