Sadaoui Warns: Any Activated Phone in Baccalaureate Examination Centres Can Be Tracked in Real Time
By Dr. Hana Saada
Algeria’s Minister of National Education, Mohamed Seghir Sadaoui, has announced the deployment of a nationwide real-time monitoring system capable of detecting and locating any activated mobile phone inside Baccalaureate examination centres, reinforcing the country’s efforts to safeguard the integrity of its most important national examination.
Speaking on national television on the eve of the 2026 Baccalaureate examinations, which officially begin on Sunday from Tizi Ouzou, Sadaoui issued a clear warning to candidates and examination staff alike, stating that any mobile phone activated within an examination centre can be immediately identified and traced.
According to the minister, the digital monitoring system deployed at the national level enables authorities to pinpoint the location of an activated device, identify the examination centre concerned, and determine the individual involved across all 2,973 examination centres operating throughout the country.
Sadaoui stressed that photographing examination papers and transmitting them through messaging applications or social media platforms constitutes a criminal offence under Algerian law. Candidates caught engaging in such practices face immediate exclusion from the examination process and potential legal prosecution.
Security measures begin before candidates enter examination halls. All candidates and personnel are subject to screening procedures, including metal-detector inspections. Dedicated reception units are responsible for collecting mobile phones and electronic devices from candidates, invigilators, and administrative staff before examinations commence, with devices returned only after candidates leave the centres.
While emphasizing the strict enforcement of anti-cheating regulations, the minister stated that the primary objective remains prevention rather than punishment. He highlighted the extensive awareness campaign conducted by the Ministry of National Education through social media platforms, official communication channels, local education authorities, and judicial institutions to inform students and staff about examination regulations and legal consequences.
According to Sadaoui, these efforts have contributed to a noticeable decline in cheating-related offences, reflecting what he described as a growing collective awareness among candidates and stakeholders.
More than 876,000 candidates are participating in this year’s Baccalaureate examinations, including school candidates, independent candidates, and inmates sitting the examinations in designated correctional facilities. The minister emphasized that all candidates are subject to the same regulations and enjoy equal opportunities under identical examination conditions.
He also noted that the entire registration process has been fully digitised, eliminating paper-based procedures through online registration, electronic fee payment systems, and digital examination summons indicating examination schedules and assigned centres.
Beyond security arrangements, authorities have established a comprehensive support framework to assist candidates throughout the examination period. Mosques, youth centres, and nearby educational institutions have been opened to provide suitable spaces for rest and revision between examination sessions. Additional coordination with the Ministries of Commerce and Interior has ensured the availability of water and essential supplies around examination centres.
Despite the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies and a robust legal framework, Sadaoui concluded his remarks by emphasizing trust and personal responsibility. He stated that the ministry’s objective is not to see students excluded or brought before the courts, but rather to ensure their success and the pride of their families.
While technological safeguards remain fully operational, the minister expressed confidence that the ultimate guarantee of examination integrity lies in what he described as “the conscience of a generation capable of succeeding through its own knowledge and achievements.”
— 𝐄𝐍𝐃 —
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