The head of education watchdog Rosobrnadzor is expected to leave his position following reports of widespread cheating by secondary-school students on this year's Unified State Exam, a news report said Monday.
Neither watchdog head Ivan Muravyov, who is currently on vacation, nor Rosobrnadzor have confirmed the reports, but it is believed that he has already submitted a letter of resignation to Education and Science Minister Dmitry Livanov, Kommersant reported.
Livanov will approve Muravyov's exit as soon as he finds a successor, an unidentified ministry official told the newspaper.
The resignation is expected amid a tumultuous period for the education ministry. Livanov has been under fire for months over various education reforms, including a bill set to take effect in September affecting secondary schools, and has faced additional pressure after reports of cheating on the Unified State Exam came in almost daily during the testing period in late May.
Given the time differences across Russia, students in the Far East were able to share test answers easily with those in western cities like Moscow through online social networks.
Rosobrnadzor, which is responsible for developing and delivering the exams, had originally urged people not to believe the reports of cheating, though Livanov later acknowledged that it had occurred. In spot checks in 18 regions, experts from Rosobrnadzor found that the results in more than half the tests were unjustifiably high.
Muravyov, 31, was appointed head of Rosobrnadzor late last year, becoming one of the youngest heads of any government department.
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