We know exams can be testing times, but spare a thought for the poor people of Algeria. During the nationwide high school exams, the country decided to completely turn of the internet. The BBC notes that this drastic measure is to stop any leaks during the high school diploma exams, with the internet going down for an hour after the start of the exam. The exams started on the 20 and will continue until 25 June.

The authorities are extremely serious about this, with Facebook blocked throughout the exam period, while both students and school staff are forbidden to take any electronic equipment into the country's 2000 exam halls. This will be apparently enforced by metal detectors at the entry points to the halls. Furthermore, printing presses responsible for the exam question sheets were fitted with y surveillance cameras as well as  phone jamming equipment to make sure no leaks occur.

With information abounding on an ubiquitous internet, there are educators starting to question the importance of rote memorisation instead of the development of problem solving skills. Sugata Mitra, professor of educational technology at the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences at Newcastle University, goes a step further, believing that learners must be able to use the internet during exams. He notes, “Allow a tablet connected to the internet to be brought in to the examination hall. Take away the paper and pencil and say this time you have to answer the GCSE differently. All you have is a tablet. You can email your friends, you can look up on the internet, do whatever you like. And answer the questions.”