- Cambodia’s Education Ministry to provide over $60,000 aid to 3,000+ high school exam candidates in conflict-hit Oddar Meanchey & Preah Vihear.
- Minister Hang Chuon Naron announced financial support, transport, accommodation, and food assistance for displaced students.
- Exams to proceed on Aug. 28 under ACU’s supervision with 4,100 officials & 3,700 volunteers ensuring fairness and transparency.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports will offer over $60,000 in assistance to more than 3,000 high school exam candidates in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces affected by the recent border conflict. In an press conference regarding the coming August 28 exams, education minister Hang Chuon Naron said that the ministry will pay each of the 1,913 candidates in Preah Vihear 50,000 riel (roughly $12.5), and 100,000 riel (about $25) to each of the 1,772 candidates in Oddar Meanchey.
"These two provinces are of special concern due to Thailand's recent aggression, we are permitting the candidates to sit for their exams in any province. For their support, the ministry has made the arrangement of accommodation. In Preah Vihear, they will be given 50,000 riel and six packs of instant noodles", he said.
Recent border clashes with Thai soldiers compelled the closing of 605 schools, impacting 15,000 pupils and over 6,000 teachers. To date, 94 schools are closed 67 in Preah Vihear 21 in Oddar Meanchey and a few others.
The minister also stated that approximately 146,000 applicants are signed up for this year's examinations, of which over 80,000 are female students. Among them are 38 disabled students, consisting of 15 blind and 23 deaf and/or mute examinees.
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In Preah Vihear province, tests will go ahead as scheduled, since the test sites are some 100km from the border. Candidates in Oddar Meanchey province, however, will be moved to nearby Puok district in Siem Reap province since Samraong town was badly hit by Thai shelling during the July 24-28 clashes. "The Oddar Meanchey provincial authority will provide transport and accommodation for the candidates", the minister stated.
"Four main schools have been set up as dormitories, and each student will be given 100,000 riel in assistance", he further stated. The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) will send out 4,100 officials and volunteer monitors for the exams next week.
The ACU organized a training workshop on 'Roles and Responsibilities of ACU Observers for the High School Diploma Exam' on Friday for 400 ACU officials. It was done to make their role clear in terms of duties, legal provisions and rules for the volunteer observers who will accompany them. They will be deployed at 241 exam centers and assisted by 3,700 volunteers in all.
The ACU pointed out that 2025 is the 12th year it has managed national examinations, in accordance with the government's anti-corruption agenda and education reform policies. "The standard of the high school diploma exam, civil service recruitment examination, university entrance exam, and other competitive exams has been improved to safeguard fairness, transparency and credible results", it added.
