Thousands of students in the Amhara region of Northern Ethiopia have refused to take the standardised tests used to assess their eligibility for universities.
According to official figures, almost 12,000 high school students opted out of taking the tests. The education ministry’s statement did not provide any reason for their refusal, but it does come as authorities roll out new steps to combat what they call an epidemic of cheating.
In recent years, exam leaks have grown increasingly widespread. This year, the government relocated students (nearly half a million in the first round alone) to different university campuses across the country in an effort to reduce instances of cheating. During the testing period, they were to stay on campus and not use any electronic devices.
On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of students were scheduled to begin taking a second set of tests. A student was reportedly killed and many security personnel were injured as students in Amhara attempted a walkout in response to the new measures.
There will be no testing in the Tigray region, where the government has not funded schools for the past two years due to the conflict.
