The teacher who introduced the controversial technique claims it was “really effective” and that no student has ever been caught cheating.
In recent days, photos of students in the Philippines wearing “anti-glue hats” during university exams have been circulating on social media. Students at a school in the center of Legazpi had to wear a helmet that prevented them from seeing other people’s guides.
The system was implemented for midterm exams, exams that take place near the middle of the academic evaluation period, or near the middle of any quarter or semester. The evaluations were carried out by hundreds of undergraduate students in the third week of October.
Many have made homemade gadgets out of cardboard, egg cartons, and other recycled materials. One of the guys even made cups out of paper tubes. Others wore hats, helmets, and masks for Halloween.
The teacher behind the idea told the BBC she was looking for a “fun way” to ensure “integrity and honesty” in her classes. Mary Joy Mandan Ortiz, a professor of mechanical engineering at Bicol University School of Engineering, said her idea was “really effective.”
The teacher pointed out that no one has been caught cheating this year.
The photos posted by Mandane-Ortiz quickly became news in the Philippines and many other universities followed suit.
The teacher told the BBC that she was inspired by a technique used in Thailand nine years ago. At the time, an image of a university classroom in Bangkok, where students were taking an exam wearing “ear plugs” – papers taped to the sides of their heads to prevent them from being seen – went viral.
