BAC tests compiled, put under lock

The students that will be caught cheating on their Baccalaureate exams will be able to repeat the exams only next year; unlike in previous sessions, the content of the papers will not be evaluated to see how much of it is based on cheat sheets and how much on the students' knowledge. At the same time, those who will get negative marks will have a second chance at the repeat session this year, Info-Prim Neo reports. Education Minister Mihail Sleahtitchi told a news conference on Tuesday that the final preparations for this year's Baccalaureate, colloquially known as BAC, have been made. The tests compiled by a team of 39 experts have been multiplied and deposited into a bank. Training courses have been held for the involved personnel, including for the heads of 159 BAC centers across the country. Also, the Education Ministry produced four ads in an effort to discourage cheating. The tests will be checked at the Chisinau-based lyceums Mihail Kogalniceanu and George Calinescu. The period for challenging the result has been extended from 24 to 48 hours. Under the updated BAC regulations, mobile phones within the BAC centers are barred from both students and the examining personnel. The Minister announced that three hotlines will be available to report instances of academic dishonesty: (022) 23-46-09, (022) 23-24-02 and (022) 23-32 -82. Such cases may be also reported online at anticoruptie@edu.md This year the security and transparency of the BAC session will be ensured under a partnership between the Education Minister and the Anticorruption Center.