Keeping Social Media Open During National Exams In Somalia Campaign is successful

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Federal Government of Somalia concluded the national secondary exams for the school year of 2020-2021 without shutting down social media platforms to prevent exam cheating.

This is a remarkable change after in response of exam papers leaked on social media platforms in 2019, ministry ordered shut down of social media for five days as a measure to curb the incidence from recurring. This move greatly affected the flow of information as social media is a key source for latest news and information and also journalists depend on it for research, interaction and news distribution.

This was not the first time in Somalia but similar measures were put in a place in Somaliland, a self-declared independent region in Somalia.

As result of the efforts and campaigns made by Bareedo Platform to end the practice, the country’s national secondary exams were concluded in June 2, 2021 without disruption of social media communications to discourage cheating any more.

This is a remarkable progress and perseverance of flow of information and hoping that the practice remain sustained over the coming years as promised by the ministry.

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