Two teachers banned for leaking exam topics

Two teachers have been struck from the private school teacher register, and a school has been sanctioned over the leak of an exam question in January, the education ministry said on Wednesday.

According to the findings of an investigation carried out by a special audit committee, the ministry said that “decisions have been made and sanctions have been imposed both on individuals and on the school”.

Sanctions have been imposed on both the management and members of the school’s teaching staff, including the deletion of two teachers from the private school teachers’ register.

“Considering the extent of the disruption caused to all schools and the public throughout Cyprus, strict recommendations and relevant warning were made to the school for future compliance,” the ministry said.

“Instructions have been given on the rules that should be strictly followed by the registered-licensed private schools, in terms of the relevant procedures,” it added.

The ministry was investigating a teacher at a specific private school for leaking the questions of a Modern Greek exam to final grade high school students.

The exam was interrupted while a screenshot circulated showing the teacher had sent a message through social media to a student with some of the topics of the exam, some hours before it took place.

The ministry also received a complaint saying that a private school student seemed to know the topics of the exam a day before and had shared them with a group of students who attended the same private institute for afternoon lessons in Limassol.