Speaking to journalists after opening a Grade 12 examination paper box at Preah Sisowath High School on Monday morning, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron said students had been working hard, average scores were increasing every year and this year’s results would be better still.

Cheth Chanty, who sat the examination at Phnom Penh’s Chaktomuk Secondary School, told The Post that invigilators strictly monitored students inside and outside the examination room as they checked for any attempt at cheating.

“No crib sheets are allowed to be brought into the examination room. On the table, there are only two pens, a ruler and the examination worksheet. I’m about 60 per cent sure I’ll pass,” he said.

At the same school, Ing Sreylika told The Post that the invigilators were not allowing candidates to copy from their neighbours, and even turning towards other students was banned.

“The invigilators checked our bodies for any hidden papers,” she said, and expressed the belief that she had done “fairly well”.

At Preah Sisowath High School, Bun Sreymealeanika told The Post that no one had cheated.

“I didn’t use any crib sheets. I don’t think anyone can get them into the examination room because everyone was checked at the entrance and inside as well. I expect at least 70 per cent of people to pass because the examination papers were not too difficult,” Sreymealeanika said.

Bun Kimhong, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport’s examination assistant observer at Preah Sisowath High School, told The Post that students were doing well, with no cheating.

“Some candidates turned around to ask other students questions, but we reported this to the invigilators who restored discipline,” she said.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport spokesman Ros Soveacha told The Post that one candidate in Siem Reap had been automatically failed because she was more than half an hour late.

“The examination starts at 7:30am but she arrived at around 8:10 after the second bell had been rung. So, this candidate was more than half an hour late. She automatically failed,” he said.

Soveacha said there were no significant irregularities on the first day and almost no one had attempted to bring in crib sheets.

He said anyone found in the examination room with crib sheets, mobile phones or other electronic equipment would be automatically disqualified.

“Only one candidate brought in a crib sheet and another had his mobile phone in the examination room.

“Therefore, the ministry will strictly enforce the rules and automatically set them to fail their examination,” Soveacha said.

He said 43 students suffered ill health – including 19 cases of vomiting or fainting – but all but one were able to resume their examinations after brief treatment.

On the first day of the two-day examinations, 117,043 candidates, including 60,427 girls, were expected to take part in 4,725 examination rooms at 202 locations.

The ministry said 1,745 candidates, or 1.49 per cent, including 678 girls, were absent from the examinations.