KUWAIT: Education Minister Dr Bader Al-Essa checks on a high school student during his tour yesterday.

KUWAIT: Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Badr Al-Essa said that the first day of final exams went well in all education areas. Speaking to reporters during a tour of some Capital governorate high schools, Essa wished all students the best of luck and thanked school administrations for their preparations for the exams.

Essa added that cheating technology was constantly developing, adding that schools can only fight this by extensive inspection of students and banning mobile phones in exam halls for both students and teachers. "Cheating attempts are more common at male adult learning centers, where students use cheating methods advertised in magazines such as magnetic micro earpieces and others placed under the tongue," he explained, noting that exam supervisors had full powers to stop such attempts. Essa added that the Ministry of Education has no power over magazines publishing such ads and urged the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to fight this phenomenon, in addition to private tuition ads.

Director of Bibi Al-Salem secondary school for girls Asma Al-Yahya said the minister came to the school on a sudden visit, adding her school has 476 students including 154 in grade 12. Yahya explained that exam committee starts work at 7 am by receiving exam papers' boxes and opens them by 7:45 am to hand the papers to students by 8:00 am. The finals' results will be announced on June 5, 2016.

By A Saleh