In a stunning 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 – the equivalent of GCSEs.
The reason for the nationwide blackout 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 shutdown is aimed at preventing a repeat of leaks that occurred last year,” Mohammed Seid, public relations director of Ethiopia’s Office for Government Communications Affairs, told Reuters.
“We are being proactive. We want our students to concentrate and be free of the psychological pressure and distractions that this brings.”
Mr Seid didn’t give a specific date for when the country’s connectivity would be switched back on again – but he did say that the blackout was focused on social media.
More vital services like online banking and airline bookings will remain operational.
Source :mirror
collected by RG
