IB must regain trust by thwarting Hong Kong cheats
- The Swiss-based ruling body says it is investigating those who posted questions for university entrance exams online, revealing them to thousands of students in other time zones
Academic pressure has long been a worry in Hong Kong. It has given rise to concerns, compounded by the pandemic, about the mental health of pupils in an environment where perfect test scores are relentlessly pursued.
So there was understandable outrage when “time-zone cheating” was found amid the current round of one of the city’s leading university entrance exams. Authorities and test administrators must act to ensure fairness and restore trust.
The cheating involved exams for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. The Swiss-based body that runs the programme has said it is taking “appropriate and timely measures” to remove online posts featuring leaked questions.
Explicitly forbidden, the practice involves students who have taken an exam in other parts of the world sharing questions with candidates who have yet to sit the test.
The IB said “a very small number” of students were involved and there was no evidence the practice was widespread. It is worrying that the authority appears to be downplaying the scope of the problem.
This newspaper found leaked materials were downloaded more than 47,000 times. Online sharing technology “amplifies the number of students posts might reach” before removal, the IB said.
A formal investigation is under way. Those found responsible will receive no marks for their exams or grades for the relevant subjects.
Students involved will not be able to resit exams. The body also said it would strive to stay ahead of technological advancements affecting student learning.
Meanwhile, the IB has pledged to carefully review individual exam responses and otherwise mark papers as usual, to “ensure students who acted with integrity are not penalised”.
IB taking ‘appropriate and timely measures’ to remove leaked exam questions
Such moves are a good start, especially as some students and parents have called for affected tests to be cancelled to ensure fairness for those who did not cheat. All the facts must be revealed to ensure a balanced response that is perceived as fair for students at a high-stakes moment in their academic lives.
Leaked exam questions and the scandal surrounding them may have a long-term impact on willingness to pursue the IB programme. The investigation and follow-up must be taken seriously so the problem is solved decisively and confidence restored.
