Ethiopia 'blocks social media' ahead of major examinations

 

Ethiopia has blocked social media sites during university entrance examinations to prevent students from being "distracted", a government spokesman has told AFP news agency.

Some end-of-year examination papers were posted online last month forcing the exams to be scrapped.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Viber have been inaccessible in the country since Saturday, AFP reports.

"It's blocked. It's a temporary measure until Wednesday. Social media have proven to be a distraction for students," government spokesman Getachew Reda is quoted as saying.

Prominent Ethiopian blogger Daniel Berhane condemned the move: