The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday reminded this year’s BAR examinees to make sure they have the right software version to use.
“To ensure uninterrupted examination taking, examinees are advised to… check whether the correct version of Examplify is installed,” 2022 Bar Examinations chair Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa said.
The required software versions are Examplify version 2.9.6 for Windows OS and Examplify version 2.9.2 for Mac OS.
The examinees were also urged to memorize their log-in credentials for the laptop and for Examplify, and to disconnect their device from any virtual private network to ensure they are connected to the local testing center’s WiFi.
The would-be lawyers were also told to disable antivirus software installed on the laptop and close all open programs or applications, among others.
Caguioa said 376 examinees had yet to register and install Examplify in their devices as of the October 31 deadline.
There were also 139 examinees who were not able to submit answers to the sample examinations previously sent.
The SC said examinees will not be given any assistance in navigating Examplify during the examinations, scheduled on November 9, 13, 16, and 20.
The SC said examinees who will be unable to take the 2022 Bar examinations due to Severe Tropical Storm Paeng may apply for a refund of their fees.
The Bar exams will be held at 14 local testing centers nationwide.
The SC on Thursday said the 2022 Bar Examinations will proceed as scheduled this month despite calls for postponement from some examinees following severe tropical storm Paeng.
In a Bar bulletin, the SC said it was aware of the appeals aired mostly on social media to postpone the tests.
The High Court said the office of Justice Caguioa has assessed and surveyed the 14 local testing centers to check if these are capable and ready to still hold the exams as scheduled.
The SC said all the local testing centers as well as the local government units where these are located categorically indicated that they remain prepared and ready to participate in the Bar exams as scheduled.
The LTCs are at San Beda University, De La Salle University, Manila Adventist College, Ateneo Junior High School Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, and the state-run University of the Philippines-Diliman campus for Metro Manila.
Three schools in Luzon will also host the exam for areas outside Metro Manila, namely the University of St. Louis in Baguio City, De La Salle Lipa City, and University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City.
In the Visayas, these are University of Cebu, University of San Jose Recoletos in Cebu City, and Dr. Vicente Orestes Romualdez Education Foundation in Tacloban City while the Mindanao schools serving as LTCs are Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro, Ateneo de Davao, and Ateneo de Zamboanga in Zamboanga City.
The High Court said it also considered the sentiments of those keen on taking the exam as scheduled as well as the hundreds of personnel and volunteers who will serve in the conduct of the exam before it decided to proceed.
“Taking all of these under consideration, it is the examined position of the Court that the 2022 Bar examinations on November 9, 13, 16, and 20, 2022 will proceed as scheduled,” the SC said.
“Far from impervious to the needs and struggles of the examinees who are struggling in the aftermath of severe tropical storm Paeng, and as the Court fully understands that this may not restore to the affected examinees the true cost of their preparations for the Bar examinations, it deems it right that examinees who may be unable to take the 2022 Bar examinations as scheduled for the foregoing reason may apply for a refund of their Bar fees with the Office of the Bar Confidant,” it added.
The SC said the Bar fees paid may also be applied to the 2023 Bar examinations set in September.