The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has called for volunteers to monitor the upcoming national grade 12 examination in a bid to curb cheating.

Volunteers – including students and civil society organisation officials – are invited to apply between July 1 and 31, according to the ACU’s announcement on Friday.

It is the third year the ACU has been involved in a government crackdown on smuggled smartphones, cheat sheets and bribes during the major exam.

In 2014, the unprecedented government action against corruption and cheating saw a drastic decline in pass rates for grade 12 students. The pass rate plummeted from 87 per cent in 2013, to just over 25 per cent that year.

Ros Salin, spokesman of the Ministry of Education, was yesterday optimistic that volunteers recruited by the ACU would ensure a smooth examination procedure.

“According to our efforts in reforming the education system in the last few years, we believe that the high school examination which is on August 22 will be successful with fairness and without cheating and corruption,” he said.