What’s gonna happen in Cambodian National Exam this year?

Flag of Cambodia set to the shape of the country.

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This year National Examination will start from 26th-28th July with about 100,000 students and about 191 places will be used as exam centers across the countries, according to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport report.

To prevent irregularities during the exam, Touch Naroth, the Phnom Penh Municipal police chief, said this year will be the same as previous years that he will put his police force to guard exam centers depend on the request of the Ministry of Education.

Despite having police officers guard all the exam centers, every year, many people especially those from non-governmental organizations and students always talked and shared their concerns about irregularities happening during the exam.

Rong Chhun, the president of the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association (CITA), claimed to see students bribed inspectors to let them open documents and use telephone during the exam last year.

He said if they allow this situation to be continued in Cambodia, it will affect to the educational quality and they cannot produce the real human resource. “Weakness in Educational System cannot help developing our country,” he said.

Rong Chhun said he forecasted that this year examination is neither different nor better than the previous year exam since he has received information from some provinces and some parts in the city saying that teachers are planning to collect money at about 10000Riels (about $2.5) per subject while the exam doesn’t start yet.

Rong Chhun explained the reason for the irregularities resulted from the practices of the ministry is still weak and the head of the Ministry receive benefit from this exam.

A grade-12 student from Chea Sim Samarki High School and also a candidate for the upcoming exam, agreed that cheating happens.

He said none of student knows everything; at least they are still lacking some points, so they have to fulfill these parts by cheating. He continued that there are 10 subjects for him to focus on and it’s difficult to be good at all of them.

The student said he is not the best student but he always gets good grades in class, so he has enough ability for the exam. “If it is strict during the exam, it will be easy for me,” he said. “When it is not strict in class, it always affects me because other friends around me drag my paper untidily,” he continued.

Rong Chhun urged students to trust in themselves for the forthcoming exam. “We will have enough abilities to compete for the job opportunities providing that we pass because of our own capacities,” he said. He continued that parents must trust in their children, and the Ministry of Education must determine to make the exam process better so that we can get better quality for the country.

Note: Result for National Examination for Grade 12 will be announced on 20 August 2010 at noon for Phnom Penh, Kandal province and will be on 21 August 2010 for other provinces.

Written by: Dara Saoyuth

25/07/2010

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Dara Saoyuth

Coming from a simple family in Kampot province of Cambodia, I’ve spent most part of my teenage years in learning and working. Through those experiences, I’ve built myself up from the ground and finally, become an entrepreneur running a media production company with my co-founder.

I believe that no matter situation or position we are in, we can be great at what we are doing and get what we want when we put our heart and soul into that.

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  • I think the exam in the year is not good because some school they college the money from the student during the examination.especially in pong tak . they toke the money from the student start from 1200$ to 1500$ so they will do for them. so all the students just wait for paper that they have done to copy only. I am one the student was exam there

    • Dear Sokravy,
      That’s very nice to receieve a reponse from you. Of course, i have to accept that cheating during the national exam is still existed in Cambodia. From year to year, students can find new way to cheat. Like this year, there are many reports on how students using mobile internet for cheating during the exam. I’ll post that article in the next post on this blog. Please tune in and shar your comment.

      Is that really happened in your exam centre that students pay that amount of money to get the answer?

  • Dear Saoyuth
    My name Lucky from Siem Reap. i study in grade 12 but in Enlish language. Would you please tell me more about an exam for this academic year. And would you please give me some documents or a grade 12 test paper for the previous year so i can learn from them. I am study in an organization school which the best quality and also variety of subject to study in english. so i can’t attend in a government school because i study 8 hours per day and 5 days a week. And because my school offer 10 subjects. And even we study 5 days a week and 8 hours a day there still not enough time to study. So this is my problem i need more lesson to study.

    • Dear Lucky,
      That’s so nice to receive your comment here. Personally, I really interested in your study program which everything is conducted in English. Could I know more about the organization you are studying in?
      Related to the grade 12 test paper of the previously, I would like to say sorry because I don’t have it with me. Normally, teachers never give you the test paper to bring back home because they have to collect those papers back since you also write your answer on those papers.
      Feel free to contact me later because I really interested in your studying program.