Baccalaureate Exam Cheaters in Morocco Face Prison Time and Fines

7 days after their arrest in flagrante delicto, the court of first instance of Fès handed down its verdict on the case of cheating on the Baccalaureate for its two students, in their early twenties, reports Assabah. In addition to the prison sentences handed down and the fines to be paid, the Court ordered the seizure of their mobile phones.

Referred on July 8, the defendants were prosecuted under arrest for fraud and presented at a first hearing. At the time, their lawyers had pleaded for a postponement in order to consult their files and prepare their defense. At the second session, the judgment was taken under advisement before the judges handed down their verdict this Thursday, July 23, the same daily specifies.

Thanks to the anti-cheating measures put in place by the supervisory ministry to discourage some students, the overall rate of cheating on the 2020 baccalaureate has decreased by 30% compared to the 2019 session. According to a press release from the Regional Academy of Education and Training, 138 cases were recorded at the baccalaureate level in the Casablanca-Settat region.