At least three individuals tagged to organized cheating in the O-level exams in Singapore were arrested.
Cheating in the O-level exams
It seems like a true to life story of the popular movie “Bad Genius,” Singapore officials arrested multiple individuals over multiple counts of cheating in O-level exams.
The individuals accused were Poh Yuan Nie, a former Principal, and Fiona Poh Min, Feng Riwen, and Tan Jia Yan, tutors who played accomplices to the former principal.
Poh Yuan Nie, also named Pony along with his two closest associates Fiona Poh Min and Feng Riwen, were charged by the criminal court of cheating in 27 counts. Tan Jia Yan, who just joined the plot, was charged into a three years sentence.
A certain Chines national named Dong Xin provides the payment for the students who wish to pass the O-level exams with the aid for the perpetrators. Every student pays $8000 in order to pass the exam with ease.
Cheating in the O-level exams in 2016 headed by Pony succeeded in three different occasions starting from October 19 to 21. However, on October 24, the proctor of the exam noticed slight interference, which was suspected to be emitted from one of the students. After the exam, the student was interrogated in the office and searched, recovered were an earpiece and a Bluetooth receiver. The devices were suspected to be used in cheating in the O-level exam.
How did the conspiracy work?
Before attending to the venue of the exam, the three tutors attach the devices for communication on the students taking the scheduled exam. The devices include a Bluetooth device with call-like features and a skin-toned earpiece which is hardly noticeable to the naked eye.
Tan serves as a random observer for the exam and captures the content of the exam to the other tutors. Fiona and Feng consolidate the answers to the questions and transmits it forward to the students via the smuggled devices attached to them. Pony serves as an overseer to the whole process.
There was no admission about the cheating in the O-level exams as well as the people involved. The officials made their own investigation which pointed to leads of the involved. Pony denied the allegations and had his lawyer handle the proceedings of the case.
