London: Cameras could be monitoring test-taking students in Britain as soon as this summer, the head of a British exam supervisors' body said on Friday.
The closed-circuit television cameras are needed to keep up with Britain's high-tech cheats, according to Andrew Harland, the head of Britain's Exam Officers' Association.
He added that cameras were arguably less intrusive than an exam supervisor staring over a test-taker's shoulder.
"Such a system might help to protect both student and staff," Harland said, explaining that exam officers - who administrate national tests given to British schoolchildren - were interested in using the cameras to better monitor students.
"I personally don't support 'Big Brother' at all, but I need to protect the interests of my members," Harland said. Harland said test administrators were increasingly concerned over the use of cell phones to cheat on exams, and that students might think twice about cheating when an administrator had his or her back turned if they knew they were being captured on tape.
"There's definitely a deterrent there," Harland said, adding that the cameras might be fitted with audio recording capabilities as well. Cameras could also help determine whether administrators were doing their jobs correctly, he said.
Schoolchildren could find themselves on the other end of a camera lens by the next summer exams, depending on how quickly test centres decided to adopt the technology, Harland said.
The move would be another extension of Britain's already formidable surveillance network. Teachers in the country have already complained about what they say is an over-monitored school system.