Internet in Ethiopia has been shut down to stop students from cheating in exams.
Cheaters never prosper. Government officials claim the blanket ban will help students ‘concentrate and be free from psychological pressure and distractions’
Imagine a world without the internet. In a striking commitment to fair play and levelling the educational playing field, Ethiopia has shut down its internet during exam week .
Not just the school’s access, or each pupil’s, but the ENTIRE country.
All social media access is grounded until at least June 8. While hundreds of thousands of students across the nation take their grade 10 exams. This in Fiji would be the Fiji Junior Certificate Examinations.
The nationwide ban is to stop exam papers and answers being posted online to social networks. The problem was widespread last year so the government decided to take action.
The blackout is focused on social media. More vital services like online banking and airline bookings will remain operational. Embassies and international organisations will also still have access to the internet.
Addis Ababa, the capital and largest city in the country has been given a social media ban before. Protests in 2015 and 2016 resulted in the country pulling the plug on Facebook and Twitter. And this time it’s being used to prevent exam cheats.
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