Matsec examiners marking the Maltese 2A O-level will be more lenient with students who complained their exam had been interrupted by an ongoing hen's party. 

Students sitting for the exam at Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School had to contend with chants of “take a shot if you’re single!”, as a hen’s party went on during their exam.

More than 100 students filled out a form uploaded by student organisation Pulse complaining to examination board Matsec after Saturday's exam, saying the noise had been a serious distraction. 

“I went in a bit panicked for the exam and five minutes before it started, there were people below our building celebrating the hen’s party, with music on full blast,” one student said.

“The invigilator instructed us to try not to listen to anything,” he said.

The party went on for an hour and a half and the exam was two hours long, students said.

“You work so hard for an exam and you lose everything because of jokes and lack of respect for other people,” the student added.

“I personally had no idea what I was writing and I am sure I did not get half the marks I deserved,” another student said.

Others said that people at the party were so loud, they could hear the games being played at the hen's party. They said they were hearing phrases such as 'take one shot if you're single, take two shots if it's complicated!' as part of a drinking game.

A spokesman for Matsec said it was aware about the issue and that they were looking into the matter.

"MATSEC is informed that the Examinations Department which is the entity tasked with the selection and administration of the examination venues, is actively working with the relevant authorities to avoid a repeat of such disturbances," the spokesman said.

Matsec will be taking into account that students were disadvantaged when marking the exams, the spokesman confirmed. 

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