General Education Diploma exam takers in Oman warned against cheating

Muscat: In all, 49,122 students will sit for the General Education Diploma (GED) exams for the 2015-2016 academic year, the Ministry of Education has announced.
The exams will begin on May 31 in several governorates of the Sultanate and continue until June 15.
Dr. Zuwaina bint Saleh Al Maskari, general director and supervisor of the exams, said 355 examination centres have been selected.
Al Maskari added that all students must abide by the rules and regulations, as published in a ministerial decision in 2015, especially regarding cheating and other practices, adding that the ministry will punish cheating.
Al Maskari explained that candidates can only bring those items that are allowed in the exams, such as pens, rulers and erasers, in addition to any tools needed for specific courses.
Candidates may not take any of the following into the examination centre: any electronic devices, such as phones, pagers, cameras, personal computers and data storage devices; newspapers and magazines; study books and diaries; anything related to the exam; handbags; sharp instruments or weapons of any kind.
The ministry will punish those who cheat or offer help to others to cheat, be it candidates or those who supervise exams.
During the previous academic year of 2014-2015, the Ministry penalised those who did not abide by the rules by failing those subjects in which candidates were found to have behaved contrary to set rules.
Al Maskari added that students can apply for a review of three courses only during the first week after the publication of the results.