Hjørring Gymnasium introduces exam monitors to prevent cheating during oral tests

Hjørring Gymnasium in northern Denmark has deployed monitors to oversee students during oral exam preparation, a direct response to concerns over cheating via smartphones, state broadcaster DR reports.

The school’s leadership confirmed the move after former students admitted using phones to access external help during closed preparation periods. “We never assumed students would cheat by contacting the outside world,” said Vibe Skibdal Schmidt, the school’s education director. “But we’ve learned otherwise.”

Students are now accompanied by monitors in preparation rooms, where they previously worked alone before facing examiners. While computers remain permitted for note-taking, phones are strictly banned. The policy shift follows reports of students smuggling devices into exams despite the rules.

The change has drawn mixed reactions. Filuca Ørnbøl, a third-year student preparing for an oral Spanish exam, called the new setup “uncomfortable,” citing difficulties practicing aloud in shared spaces. “I can’t rehearse my presentation the same way with others listening,” she said.

Classmate Christian Sick acknowledged the inconvenience but supported the measure. “If the school wants to stop cheating, monitors are part of the solution,” he said, adding that quiet self-rehearsal remains possible.

The policy comes at a cost: Hjørring Gymnasium has hired 30 additional exam monitors this year. Maja Bødtcher-Hansen, chair of Danske Gymnasier (Danish Gymnasium Association), attributed the expense to technological challenges. “Digital tools make cheating harder to detect,” she said, emphasizing that most students comply with rules. “Fair conditions matter—grades determine university access.”

Espergærde Gymnasium has adopted similar monitoring for its oral exams.