Monday, 4.8.2008: Mr. Rong Chhun: It Is Said that There Are Many Irregularities during the High School Diploma Examinations This Year

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 572

“Phnom Penh: The President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association, Mr. Rong Chhun, said that the High School Diploma examination will start on Monday and continue until Wednesday. During these examinations, some high school teachers are not allowed to be examination supervisors, but they were replaced by lower secondary school teachers; and some teachers, like in Sihanoukville, did not get their allowances paid before the examination days.

“Regarding these irregularities, Mr. Rong Chhun wrote to the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport on Friday last week, asking the Ministry to take action to prevent irregularities during the 2008 high school diploma examinations. In addition to the letter, Mr. Rong Chhun said that money was collected for teachers working in specific examination rooms, so that students in those rooms could cheat freely. Besides, some test documents leaked ahead of the examinations, and there are bribes paid after the examinations in order to pass. Related to such irregularities as raised by Mr. Rong Chhun, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport has never curbed down or imposed penalties on those who have committed such wrongdoings – the Ministry is not useful at all. Mr. Rong Chhun is afraid that there might be more serious corrupt irregularities during this year’s examinations, because during this time, Cambodia is waiting for a new government. Therefore some people consider this as a good opportunity to commit even more corruption. Mr. Rong Chhun noticed that previously, the Ministry of Education has imposed penalties only on small teachers who had done wrong by not allowing them to be examination supervisors in the following years. However, high-level officials at the departments or the Ministry of Education – who has committed very serious mistakes, like leaking test documents to receive bribes – have not been punished by the Ministry of Education (sic).

“Khmer Sthapana was not able to receive comments from officials of the Ministry of Education by phone, regarding the concerns of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association. However, the Ministry of Education announced that every year, there are rumors about leaked test documents – but actually wicked people create these rumors in order to sell their own copied test documents as much as possible. Also, the announcement by the Ministry of Education called on all parents of students not to believe such fraudulent rumors created by opportunists who benefit from them during the high school diploma examinations.

“For this year’s examinations in Phnom Penh, Mr. Touch Naruth, the Phnom Penh police chief, said that his police are prepared for the examination days to suppress irregularities. Mr. Touch Naruth mentioned that at each examination center, police will not allow any irregularities, like throwing little paper notes to students with information for cheating, or the sale of test result documents. As for those who run photocopy shops near examination centers, they will be ordered to close their shops during the examination days. If they do not comply, they will be punished.

Note:

Copy shops near two schools visited at random did operate – we are not aware that they had been ordered to close temporarily during examination days, nor that they were targeted for punishment.

“According to an announcement of the Ministry of Education, there are 79,549 candidates and 139 examination centers for the 2008 high school diploma examination.

“IThere is a rumor that for this year’s high school diploma examinations in Phnom Penh, in order to pass, some people paid bribes between US$500 and US$800.” Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #64, 3-4.8.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 4 August 2008

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1710, 3-4.8.2008

• Thai-Black-Clad Soldiers [the special border protection units] Started to Invade Ta Moan Temple [prohibiting Khmer troops to enter the temple – Oddar Meanchey]
• The Cambodian Constitutional Council Rejected the Complaint by the Sam Rainsy Party [against the National Election Committee, on violating voters’ rights, because this complaint is not in the field of competency of the Constitutional Council]

• Thailand Cancels the Made in Thailand Fair in Phnom Penh [as there are reports about strong feelings of Khmer citizens to boycott Thai goods, because of the dispute between both countries at the Preah Temple Region]
  Chinese President [Hu Jintao] Warns about the Use of the Olympic Games for Politics

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #214, 3-5.8.2008

• Siamese [Thai] Newspaper [The Nation] Looks Down on Khmers by Saying, “When Cambodia Cries Wolf” – regarding the Preah Vihear Temple [on 1 August 2008]

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #64, 3-4.8.2008

• Mr. Rong Chhun: It Is Said that There Are Many Irregularities during the High School Diploma Examinations This Year

Meatophum, Vol.52, #699, 4-9.8.2008

• Ms. Chea Ratha [involved in an acid attack on TV presenter Ms. In Soklida’s aunt] Is Free [from being searched] because Thailand and Cambodia Are Having Disputes

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3529, 4.8.2008

• Siam [Thailand] Still Wants to Control a 4.6 Square Kilometer of the Preah Vihear Temple Area; a Siamese Soldier Died from Malaria
• Officials of the Cambodian People’s Party Said that the New Government Might Not Change [old] Structures Much
  The Number of People Arrested Relating to Drugs in Early 2008 [six months] Increased Compared to Early 2007 [in the first six months of 2008, 194 people were arrested, while in the same period of 2007 there were 166 people arrested]

Raksmei Angkor, Vol.11, #1343, 4.8.2008

• Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh Intends to Leave Politics [he told foreign journalists in France on 2 August 2008]
• Siem Reap Customs Officers Seized Red Pigs [not yet checked for diseases] from Thailand, then They Released Them after Being Bribed with Riel 5 Million [approx. US$1,250]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4658, 3-4.8.2008

• Cambodia Asked FBI [Phnom Penh office] to Help to Investigate to Find Murderers Who Killed a Journalist [Mr. Khim Sambo, and his 21-year old son – according to a request from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Mr. Sar Kheng, to the US Ambassador in Cambodia]
• A Russian Released from the Prison [on 23 July 2008] Is Not the Russian Millionaire Who Has Raped Cambodian Young Girls [the released Russian is Nikita Belov, 26, who had been accused of committing obscene acts with three 15-year old boys]

Click here to have a look at the last editorial – where we try to provide our readers with important information which all publications in Cambodia – as far as we can see – are not providing; but the international community knows more – we wonder how long the Cambodian public can be held uninformed.

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