Poland sees sharp rise in exam invalidations due to mobile phones

A sharp rise in high school students having their final exams invalidated due to mobile phone possession is a growing concern in Poland. This year, 91 exams were voided for students caught with cell phones or other electronic devices, a notable increase from previous years. The Central Examination Commission (CKE) has also filed four reports with prosecutors concerning these incidents.

Professor Rafał Zakrzewski, head of the CKE, explained that each report can encompass exams from multiple subjects taken over several days. While the CKE actively monitors social media for leaked exam papers and evidence of criminal activity, he acknowledged that past investigations into leaks have been discontinued by prosecutors. "We hope that we will eventually be able to track down the individuals who publish photos of the exam papers online after the exam begins and bring their actions to legal proceedings," Zakrzewski stated.

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We hope that we will eventually be able to track down the individuals who publish photos of the exam papers online after the exam begins and bring their actions to legal proceedings.

Despite efforts to combat leaks, the primary issue this year has been students bringing prohibited electronic devices into exam rooms. Zakrzewski emphasized that even bringing a device into the room, not just using it, is grounds for disqualification. The number of invalidated exams for this reason has steadily climbed from 42 in 2020 to 91 this year. He also noted that measures, such as placing transmitters in randomly selected exam packages, helped prevent leaks before the exam started this year, although some papers still appeared online shortly after the exam began.

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This is something we take very seriously when shots are fired in public spaces, and therefore it is also a case that we have been investigating massively since the time of the report with the aim of finding the perpetrator.