Philippines students come up with creative hats to curb cheating, images go viral

The students turned up with full face masks, homemade helmets, binoculars-style gear made of paper and elaborate hats. Many of the students finished tests early and nobody was caught cheating this year, claims teacher.

Examination halls are generally serious and stressful, but students of a college in Legazpi city of the Philippines made it lively and colourful. Students were asked to come up with anti-cheating headgear and they created something very creative. They turned up with full face masks, homemade helmets, binoculars-style gear made of paper, and elaborate hats. Some even wore paper bags over their heads with cutouts for their eyes. Many of these headgears were improvised out of material such as egg boxes or leftover cardboard. The images of the students wearing them during an exam immediately went viral on the social media.  

Others follow suit to crack down on cheating 

Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz, a professor of mechanical engineering at Bicol University College of Engineering claimed that her idea had been “really effective”. She said she was looking for a 'fun way' to instil the virtues of 'integrity and honesty' in the students. She has been inspired by a technique reportedly used in Thailand nine years previously. Several other colleges in the Philippines have reportedly followed suit in a bid to crack down on cheating.  

Prof Mandane-Ortiz said her tutees performed better this year, having been motivated by the strict examination conditions to study extra hard. Many of them finished their tests early and nobody was caught cheating this year, she added. 

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