'Anti-Cheating hats' idea at Legazpi City College, created ruckus online

Pictures of students wearing "anti-cheating" hats in the Philippines went viral, and strong claims about their efficacy encouraged other universities to follow. Students at a college in Legazpi City were required to put on peculiar clothing that was intended to keep them from looking at their peers' answer sheets. Many people replied by building handmade devices out of recyclable materials like egg cartons, cardboard, and other materials. Even one youngster created his own eyewear from paper tubes. Others wore hats, helmets, or masks for Halloween. According to the teacher who came up with the idea, she was searching for a "fun manner" to promote "integrity and honesty" in her classes. Professor of mechanical engineering at Bicol University College of Engineering Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz asserted that her concept had been "very beneficial." She was motivated by a method allegedly utilized in Thailand nine years earlier. A picture that appeared to show a group of university students in Bangkok completing tests while using "ear flaps"—sheets of paper taped on either side of their heads to hide their vision—went viral in 2013. Prof. Mandane-Ortiz shared images of her pupils wearing the headgear to her social media sites after encouraging them to be inventive.