First semester exams: 40 marks for the average and penalties for using a mobile phone

The Saudi Ministry of Education will launch the end-of-semester exams for the first semester in all public schools for boys and girls tomorrow morning, Sunday, amidst intensive administrative and technical preparations to ensure the educational process proceeds according to the highest standards of discipline and transparency. This important educational milestone is in accordance with the technical standards outlined in the "Fourth Edition" of the Examination Systems and Procedures Manual, which aims to enhance the quality of educational outcomes and regulate the examination environment.

The context of educational development and the importance of tests

This year's exams are of exceptional importance given the ongoing development of the education sector in the Kingdom, which aligns with the goals of Vision 2030 that focus on enhancing the efficiency of educational outputs and improving learning outcomes. Final written exams are a pivotal tool for assessing students' academic achievement, with the 40 marks allocated to them carrying significant weight and directly impacting the cumulative grade point average. This makes them a crucial juncture that determines students' future academic paths and ensures equal opportunities in competing for university places and future career prospects.

40 points determine academic fate

Millions of students are entering this assessment marathon with utmost seriousness, competing to achieve perfect scores on written exams. Educational sources have emphasized that the new guidelines require teachers to be extremely accurate during the marking and recording processes, prohibiting any personal interpretations that deviate from the centrally approved answer key. This is to ensure that the recorded score accurately reflects the student's true and actual level, thus upholding the principle of absolute fairness.

Possession of a mobile phone "turned off" is a violation that will not be tolerated

As part of stricter enforcement measures, the Ministry of Education directed school principals and examination committees to activate monitoring at the entrances to examination halls. The Ministry emphasized a crucial point in the new regulations: the mere possession of smart devices or mobile phones inside the hall, even if switched off , constitutes a clear violation of the rules, warranting immediate reporting and the application of the prescribed penalties. The Ministry considers "technical inspection" and constant vigilance to be the first line of defense against the leaking of exam questions or the electronic sharing of answers.

Penalties range from question cancellation to total disqualification

The ministry has established a tiered and firm scale of penalties to deter any attempts at manipulation or fraud, as follows:

• First violation: Cancellation of the grade for the question in which cheating was proven, with a written pledge taken from the student.
• The second violation: canceling the entire subject test and deducting points from conduct grades, which puts the student at risk of "completing".
• The third violation: total deprivation from taking the remaining exams, which means the student will fail the entire academic year and his educational progress will be delayed.

Combating identity theft and mass fraud

The regulations also addressed serious violations such as impersonation, stipulating that the student involved would have their exam cancelled and the impersonator's case (if from outside the school) would be referred to the relevant security authorities. The Ministry also established strict procedures for dealing with cases of mass cheating, including identifying suspected papers and, if the incident is proven, canceling the exams of all those involved, to ensure the integrity of the educational process and the prestige of the system.

The ministry concluded its directives by emphasizing that the aim of these measures is not intimidation, but rather to provide a fair and stable environment that helps students perform their exams with focus, calling on parents to provide psychological support to their children during this critical period.