Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said yesterday that next month’s Grade 12 high school exams will largely follow the same process as the past few years, though a spokesman noted that new subject “experts” will be introduced to help spot grading errors.

“So far, the ministry has set out measures to strengthen both the examining and correcting processes,” Chuon Naron said at a press conference at his ministry ahead of the high-stakes exams on August 21 and 22.

Education Ministry spokesman Ros Salin said by telephone that “experts” in each subject area would be introduced to review the tests after they have been graded by a committee in charge of that area. The exam includes seven subjects such as math, biology and history.

“Another expert team will screen it again,” he said

The maximum score on the test will be 500, with a minimum of 237 required to pass – the same as last year – Salin said. Monitors from the Anti-Corruption Unit would continue to observe students taking the exam at least for five to 10 years, he added.

“It’s still premature to remove the monitors,” he said.

This will be the fourth year in a row that the Anti-Corruption Unit is involved in helping monitor the once-rampant cheating and bribery during the exam.

So far, 103,112 students have registered for the exam, representing an increase of about 9,000 compared to last year. The ministry plans to spend some $3.5 million on the test.