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Extra exam time for students hit by rail strikes, raises fears of cheating

Students affected by the ongoing rail strike in France will be accorded extra time to complete their baccauleréat exams. But the special allowances have prompted concerns that they could play the system to get extra marks. The standoff between the government and trade unions entered its fourth day on Saturday.

Baccaulauréat students sit their philosophy exam at Malherbe secondary school in Caen
Baccaulauréat students sit their philosophy exam at Malherbe secondary school in Caen AFP PHOTO/Mychèle Daniau
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686, 907 is the number of students who could arrive late to their philosophy exams on Monday, because of ongoing strike action.

To ensure that travel disruption for students is kept to a minimum, the Education minister Benoit Hamon has said he will give them an extra hour to complete their tests.

This has however raised concerns of cheating. Critics worry that exam questions could be revealed before students sit the tests and unfairly bump up their marks.

There are renewed calls for vigilance to stop students exploiting the system.

To this effect,  the Education minister has promised that no pupil will be allowed to leave the exam room until all late arrivals have been seated. And the media is banned from discussing the tests until two hours after their completion.

Anyone caught cheating faces up to three years in prison and a 9000 euro fine.

The industrial action is over plans to contain the rail sector's 40 billion euro debt by regrouping the SNCF- which controls the train network - with the Réseaux Férrés de France or RFF-which manages the tracks.

The Secretary of State for relations with Parliament, Jean Marie Le Guen has promised that the parliamentary debate scheduled for June 17 will go ahead as planned. The striking unions CGT and SUD-Rail want the reform scrapped.

On Saturday the unions vowed to open a special helpline for baccaulauréat students to allow them to get to their exams on time.

 

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