School examination watchdog in Hong Kong was considering installing handset detectors in toilets and examination halls in schools to stop cheating in exams, according to news from the relative department on Sunday.

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) held a forum recently on how to prevent students cheating during exams and discuss the feasibility of installing handset detectors in all schools and examination halls.

It was estimated that it would cost 2 million Hong Kong dollars (about 257,400 U.S. dollars) to buy handset detectors. However, the plan was still under discussion, an official from HKEAA said.

Kam-yuen Yip, chairman of the Association of Heads of Secondary Schools, thought such measure may cause an adverse effect on students. For example, if the authorities found a student used a mobile phone but failed to identify the person, it would create fear among all students taking the exams, he said.

Yip suggested to take low-cost steps to combat cheating, such as to let students sign their names before they go to the toilet during the exam.

Nearly 100 students complained in May that some Hong Kong Certificate of Education Exam candidates had used mobile phones during trips to the toilet to look up answers on a website in May. After an investigation, the HKEAA admitted that only one student may have used a mobile phone to check a web site which contained answers.

Source: Xinhua