The Ministry of Education has launched an urgent investigation into allegations that Arabic language exam questions from the second round of the 2025 General Secondary Certificate Examination were circulated online shortly after the test began on Saturday morning.
Reports claim that cheating networks, including the well-known “Shawming” groups, shared images of the Arabic paper within 30 minutes of the exam starting. The test was being taken by students under both the new and old educational systems.
Officials at the Ministry of Education and Technical Education confirmed that a dedicated anti-cheating team is currently analysing the images posted on social media.
“If the authenticity of the leaked questions is proven, those responsible for photographing and publishing the papers will be arrested,” sources said, adding that severe penalties will be enforced against students and individuals involved in the leak.
Under Egyptian law, circulating exam content carries serious consequences.
Those who print, publish, broadcast, or promote exam materials with the intent to cheat face prison sentences of between two and seven years, alongside fines ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 Egyptian pounds.
Accomplices found assisting in the distribution of exam questions are also liable to punishment, including at least one year in prison and fines between 10,000 and 50,000 pounds.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges in safeguarding high-stakes examinations, despite the ministry’s heightened monitoring measures. Officials have reiterated their determination to protect the integrity of the 2025 exams and to impose strict penalties on anyone attempting to undermine the process.
The Arabic exam, part of the second-round resit schedule, remains under scrutiny as authorities continue efforts to verify whether the widely circulated materials were authentic.
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