Cuba - 8 arrested in school exam cheating scandal

Posted on Monday, 06.09.14

Cuba: 8 arrested in school exam cheating scandal
BY PETER ORSI
ASSOCIATED PRESS

HAVANA -- Eight people are under arrest in connection with a scandal
involving the illicit sale of university entrance exams, Cuban
authorities said Monday after thousands of high school students were
forced to retake the test.

The unnamed suspects include five teachers, a methodologist, an employee
at the Ministry of Higher Education's printer's office and a person not
linked to the education sector. There was no word on possible criminal
charges, but prosecutors were collecting evidence to present to the courts.

"It has been confirmed ... that the leaked materials were unscrupulously
commercialized by the five teachers implicated, some of whom sold the
exams while others reviewed the content with the students, charging for
the service," Monday's announcement said.

The investigation into the scandal has been a fixture in state media for
weeks, and the announcement called it a "matter of great sensitivity."

In a signal of how seriously officials are taking the case, the message
was signed by three Cabinet ministries including Interior — the arm of
government that oversees policing and state security.

Education, which is universal and free including the university level,
is considered sacrosanct as one of the "pillars" of Fidel Castro's 1959
revolution.

However stories of teachers selling grades to augment their meager
salaries are relatively common, if not widely publicized. There have
also been past incidents of final exams leaking out prior to the test day.

But this is the first time authorities have made such a fuss about it —
apparently in hopes of discouraging others by making an object lesson of
the suspects.

"The final results of (the investigation) will be made public in a
timely manner, since such acts, which attack the prestige of our
educational system, will never go unpunished and will always be
repudiated by our teachers, parents and students," the ministries' note
said.

Current President Raul Castro's government has waged a wider crackdown
on corruption that has swept up dozens of Cuban officials and
executives, as well as a number of foreign businesspeople.

Shortly after the nationwide exam was given early last month, rumors
began circulating that the math, language and history sections had all
been on sale beforehand for about $60 per subject.

Authorities publicly acknowledged the scandal May 20, nullifying the
results for thousands of students in Havana and obliging them to take a
replacement test six days later.

Twin 18-year-old sisters Lili and Rocio Garcia, who spent four months
preparing for the test, said the make-up was noticeably more difficult.

"It was right to repeat the exam, but they should have done it in the
whole country," said Lili, who scored a perfect 100 initially and 95 the
second time around. "It was not something that could go unpunished."

Her sister disagreed, saying it wasn't fair to punish everyone for the
transgressions of others.

"It's a lack of respect," said Rocio, who saw her score fall from 99 to
91. "They didn't have to repeat it."

---

Associated Press writer Andrea Rodriguez in Havana contributed to this
report.

Source: HAVANA: Cuba: 8 arrested in school exam cheating scandal -
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