BY INDY MAEALASIA

THE principals and several teachers from three schools, allegedly involved in leaking national examination papers have been suspended, a tough move the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) recently made to tackle exam leakages.

Minister Tozen Leokana gave this update during a committee of supply session in parliament on Wednesday.

As part of the suspension, the ministry has given the affected individuals 28 days to respond, after which further deliberation on actions to be taken will follow.

The Minister also confirmed that “appropriate actions” would be taken against students found to be involved in the leakage.

As part of the ministry’s effort to prevent leakages, CCTV cameras had been installed in the printing rooms to closely monitor the printing and packaging of all examination papers. 

Additionally, a new security measure enforced involved the coding of exam papers with the school, a system the minister emphasized as effective for tracking potential leakages if allegations arise.

In response to questions from the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and MP for Central Honiara, Gordon Darcy Lilo, regarding the printers contracted to print the papers, Leokana clarified that the printers were not the source of the problem. “So far, no issues have arisen from the printers,” he added.