Algeria school exam cheats to face jail in latest crackdown attempt

Algerian authorities have launched a strict crackdown on cheating during middle school exams, jailing two teachers and arresting several students caught using modern technology to cheat.

In the town of Kaïs, in Khenchela province, a court sentenced a teacher to two years in prison on Wednesday after she was caught taking photos of a French exam paper on her phone immediately after distributing it to students, in an attempt to leak the questions.

The court said an investigation was launched and the teacher was referred directly to trial under Algeria's "immediate appearance" legal procedure.

Elsewhere, in Chlef, a 41-year-old man was sentenced to three years in prison for sharing answers to final exams via messaging platforms. He was taken into custody immediately.

Under Algerian penal law, penalties for compromising the integrity of exams can reach up to 15 years in prison if the cheating leads to partial or total cancellation of the exam.

In recent days, two students were caught in the act during the Brevet (middle school certificate) exams. One was using a Bluetooth earpiece linked to a mobile phone SIM card, allegedly with help from two people outside the exam centre providing answers.

Another was found browsing an Instagram page containing leaked answers. All four were placed in pre-trial detention pending hearings later in June.

Algeria's "immediate appearance" law allows suspects to be tried quickly based on the severity and societal impact of their alleged crimes.

Lawyer Amir Fahssi told The New Arab's Arabic language edition that the procedure helps ease pressure on the courts and shortens pre-trial detention periods.

Ahead of the Brevet and Baccalaureate exams taking place this week, the government rolled out a national awareness campaign targeting students, teachers, and parents, warning of the consequences of cheating.

The campaign was backed by the justice, interior and education ministries, and received widespread media coverage.

Algeria's penal code bans publishing or leaking exam content before or during official tests, using communication devices inside exam centres, and impersonating test takers. Some cases can even result in the detention of underage offenders.