Multiple A Level exam papers leaked, calls to postpone exams increases

Seven hours prior to the Edexcel Advanced Level (A'Level) Chemistry examination, the paper was leaked on Monday.

The paper was the second unit of Chemistry examination, scheduled to be held at 1330hrs on Monday. This is the third paper that was leaked so far.

Parents, school principals and students have been expressing concerns and demanding for the exams to be postponed.

Last week, about an hour prior to the Biology and Physics examinations, the papers were leaked. The initial leak was abroad however, a Maldivian students received the leaked papers online, due to time differences.

In the group chat made on Viber for the school principals by the Education Ministry, they have been calling to cancel the April/May exams.

"I see no purpose to keep the exam going. These exams should be stopped and the students should be given the opportunity to do the October/November exam," one principal expressed.

Another principal said that these exams and their results can no longer be considered valid.

Mohamed Ihusan, currently managing the Department of Public Examination (DPE), said they were in discussion with Edexcel, the examination body, in regards to the leaked Biology and Physics papers. The paper got leaked on Monday after he had said Edexcel reassured that there were very little chances of the papers being leaked anymore.

"DPE's request is to work out a way so that the students can sit the exam again," Ihusan said.

Parents protest in front of the Ministry

As multiple exam papers keep getting leaked, parents started to protest in front of Velaanaage as well. Education Ministry is located on the eighth floor of the building.

It is expected that the Education Ministry will announce the decision they make on this issue, later on Monday.

Parents expressed there is no need for the students to be doing exams of papers that have been leaked already. This was affecting the mental health of the students, one parent that talked to Mihaaru news had said.

"These tests will not let us know the student's actual [academic] standard," they said.

Parents noted that when the first paper got leaked last week, they had reported the issue to the Education Ministry then too. They said they are concerned that even though multiple papers have been leaked, the students are being made to do the same exams.