Grade 10 students nationwide will sit for the Written Expression Examination on Thursday.
Education Minister Jimmy Uguro urged students to perform to the best of their ability, and put into practice what they had learnt as such examination would determine their future.
He said there used to be instances of students cheating and helped by teachers during national exams.
Progress in life comes through hard work, dedication and commitment. Knowledge is not cheap.
Jimmy Uguro, Education Minister
Promotions are not cheap. You must work to earn them.
He said teachers found to have helped students cheat would be sacked, and students caught cheating would be penalized.
Grade 10 students will sit for their annual exams from Oct 11 to 15.
Grade 12 students will sit theirs from Oct 18 to 22.
Grade 8 students have their exam from Oct 25 to 28.
All examinations must be administered by external invigilators on the dates and at the times set by the Education Department’s Measurement Service Division.
The penalty for cheating or assisting to cheat in national examinations is non-certification for students and termination of employment for teachers.
Mobile phones are banned from the exam rooms for students and all school staff.