Kuwait City: Minister of Education Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei praised the Cabinet's approval on Wednesday of a draft bill amending the Penal Code to criminalize cheating and exam leaks. He called the legal amendments "a turning point" for educational justice. He expressed gratitude to His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and other cabinet members for their roles in this development, which reflects the political leadership's commitment to safeguarding the futures of students.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the draft law explicitly outlaws the printing, selling, or leaking of exam questions and answers for intermediate and secondary schools, mainly when intended to facilitate cheating or undermine the examination process. Al-Tabtabaei emphasized that such actions threaten Kuwait's educational reputation and that legal action would be taken against offenders.
The Cabinet's approved amendments add two articles to the Penal Code: Article 259 bis, which punishes leaking exam materials with imprisonment of up to five years and fines ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 dinars, and Article 259 bis (a), which penalizes altering exam answers or grades with up to seven years in prison and fines between 5,000 and 10,000 dinars. This initiative aims to protect the integrity of education and ensure fair assessments for all students.