The essay topics for the history matriculation examination were allegedly leaked on social media the night before thousands of students sat for the test. Despite the circulation of the topics prior to the exam, Educational Authority – the body responsible for the exams – announced in a statement on Wednesday that there would be no retake.
Educational Authority contacted the police after catching wind of a screenshot of a Facebook message containing the exact essay topics on the intermediate level history exam. There are two parts to the written matriculation examinations. In the second, students have to choose two topics out of the given four, and this provides 50% of the result. Several students confessed to having seen this particular message the day before the history exam. While most thought it was fake, others looked over the topics just in case.
Educational Authority turns to the police
After the incident, Educational Authority issued a statement: “On 8 may 2019 after the beginning of the written history examinations, an annunciation was received by the Educational Authority warning that the intermediate level history exam essay topics might have been published in a closed social media group before the start of the exam. The Authority contacted the police and has already filed a complaint against the unknown person(s).”
Photo via index.hu
As it turned out, many students from all over the country knew about the alleged leaks. As news of the incident spread, students worried they would need to retake the entire exam. The Authority quelled the rumors by announcing it would not be requiring a retake after all.
It wasn’t the first time
In 2005, the literature, math and history exams were also leaked prior to testing. Due to this, the history papers were recreated at the last minute, and the results of the math exam were destroyed by the Ministry of Education. If someone needed the results of their math exam for matriculation, they could retake it. Those in no need of the result could use their last high school grade in place of the exam. The first scandal occurred in 1989 however, when high school students in Budapest and Pest county learned of the tasks days before the exam took place.
Featured photo illustration by Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI