Algeria has switched off internet services across the country.
The country’s authorities say it is to help fight cheating during exams in high schools.
The restriction of internet service during the period of the exams ends next week.
Over 700,000 students are writing the high school certificate examinations.
How the internet restriction works
The internet for mobile and fixed line will be turned off nationwide during the exams.
There will be no service for an hour after the start of the exams for paper across the country.
The restriction will last between June 20 and 25 which is the duration for the exams.
Why the blackout?
The policy is mainly to prevent students and other officials from leaking the exams questions.
It follows a major leakage of exams question paper in 2016 which occurred online.
The widespread leakage happened during the exams period.
Facebook is to be blocked throughout the exams period, according to Algeria’s Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit.
He told local media that the move although “not comfortable” it is necessary to stop further leaks.
Other key measures
Algerian officials have also placed surveillance cameras and mobile phone jammers at various centres used for printing the exams questions.
Source: Africafeeds.com
