2 arrested over high school exam leak allegations in Egypt

CAIRO, June 21 (MENA) - Security forces arrested two people for claiming they can leak secondary school final year (Thanaweya Amma) exams in social media.

Security forces detected some social media websites circulating hashtag "Shawming cheating Thanaweya Amma" telling Thanaweya Amma students it can leak exam questions and answers five hours ahead of the start of the exam.

Police found out that two university students living in Beheira and Gharbiya are behind the circulated hashtag.

Necessary legal action was taken against them.

In the past few years, Thanaweya Amma (high school diploma) exams have been repeatedly leaked and shared on Facebook and WhatsApp.

Last year, Egypt's parliament approved amendments toughening the penalties for cheating and other exam violations, including publishing exam questions and papers and having mobile phones or other wireless devices in examination rooms.

Penalties for facilitating exam leaks include hefty fines of EGP 100,000-200,000 and jail terms between two and seven years.

More than 650,000 students are taking this year's tests.