The Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) has cancelled the 2020 final secondary school-leaving examinations after a number of test papers were leaked.
The leaked subjects were reportedly circulated on social media.
The cancellation of the Malawi School Certificate of Education prompted angry students to take to the streets in many parts of the East African country to protest.
The cancellation affects the future of more than 154,000 pupils.
In an announcement on Wednesday night, a government spokesperson said MANEB has “cancelled the Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations (MSCE) following leakage of English Paper 2, Geography Paper 2, Biology Paper 2, Chemistry Paper 2 and Mathematics examination papers.”
“The exams have since been postponed to March 9, 2021,” he aded.
Malawi’s Minister of Education, Agnes Nyalonje, said the examinations board took the decision because the integrity of the exam could not be guaranteed after papers were widely shared online.
The Malawi School Certificate of Education exams are held in June but were postponed after schools abruptly closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pupils started their exams on 27 October and were due to finish in mid-November.
The exams have been rescheduled for March. The fresh exams are expected to cost the government about 4.5 billion kwacha (about $5.8 million).
Nearly 40 pupils, along with a teacher and businessman, have been arrested for allegedly being in possession of papers.
Two pupils were arrested over the riots which broke out after the exams were cancelled.
In the capital, Lilongwe, traffic was disrupted as angry students blocked roads and stoned cars.