14 DAY TRIAL // We all know how depressing exams can be, especially the days leading up to them. There's nothing but studying, sleeping, and then some more studying. Wouldn't it be great if we could just skip this step?
Well, it looks like a 17-year-old boy in Germany has figured out a way to do just this and, even more impressive, have the law back up his endeavor.
While studying for this Abitur tests, this kid paused his busy agenda for a while and sent a formal request to the education ministry of his home state, asking to see his test papers before his exams.
The boy used the law to his advantage
In his formal request addressed to the education ministry of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state, Simon Schräder argues that current freedom of information policies give him the right to see his exam papers beforehand.
Yup, this schoolboy took cheating to a whole new level. He's not trying to hide his trusty notebook in his jacket and have a look at it when nobody's watching him, and he's not trying to copy his mates' answers.
He's saying that, as an honorable citizen of the state of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state, he enjoys freedom of information and should, therefore, be allowed to see his tests papers before he has to sit for his exams.
He did make one mistake, though
Apparently, the education ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia has precisely one month to respond to such requests, Metro informs. This means that 17-year-old Simon Schäder must get his answer by April 21 at the latest.
Even if the education ministry grants him his wish and sends him his test papers, the schoolboy's first Abitur exam is scheduled for April 16, so he won't have much use for them if he gets them a week and a half from now.
Then again, Simon Schäder reassures that he's been studying hard and that he's confident he'll do well with or without the education ministry's help. “I’m already revising, and I’m not relying on them to get back to me,” he says.