Polish Matura Exam System Faces Cheating Scandal and Operational Errors

A newly introduced system for administering Poland's high‑school exit exam (Matura) has already shown technical and procedural problems, with reports of errors in the handling of exam materials.

Within the first hour of the 2026 Matura, students brought prohibited smartphones into exam rooms, photographed answer sheets and shared the images in online groups where artificial‑intelligence tools supplied solutions. dozens of candidates obtained inflated results, prompting the Central Examination Board (CKE) and the Ministry of Education (MEN) to invalidate several exams. The authorities said existing safeguards—sealed safebag envelopes, banderol tags, and electronic transmitters that signal premature opening—will be reinforced, and they are evaluating additional measures such as electronic‑device detection systems.