Students search for their name on result sheets posted at Sisowath High School in Daun Penh district’s Phsar Thmey III commune in Phnom Penh on Monday. Hean Rangsey
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport released the results for last month’s Grade 12 National Examinations on Monday.
It said 68.62 per cent of the 117,043 students passed – an increase of 1.55 per cent compared to last year. The number of students who were awarded As also increased, with 443 achieving the top marks, the ministry said.
It said 2,430 students received Bs – an increase of 208 candidates from last year, while another 5,847 students received Cs – a decrease from last year’s 6,041 students.
The number of students who received Ds also went down this year to 14,100 from 1,080 last year.
The number of students who received Es increased this year with 56,232 students getting the lowest acceptable grade to pass.
As was the case last year, Phnom Penh students fared better than their counterparts from other provinces once more. They were followed by students from Siem Reap and Battambang provinces.
A total of 141 Phnom Penh students passed with As, followed by Siem Reap, with 38 students and Battambang with 32 students.
Oddar Meanchey, Mondulkiri and Koh Kong provinces each produced one student who passed with an A, while Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Kep and Pailin provinces produced none.
Unlike last year when a computer error resulted in thousands of students filing complaints due to low marks, there were no such problems this year, the ministry said.
Ministry spokesman Ros Soveacha told The Post on Monday that the result of the examination reflected positive reforms based on concepts of justice and transparency.
This year, Soveacha said, the ministry employed the motto of “you know, you pass” when planning the examinations.
“The ministry believes that this year’s result is accurate and was executed effectively through each step of the way, with cooperation from relevant parties including the Anti-Corruption Unit, Ministry of Interior, Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, the candidates and education staff at all levels,” he said.
Ya Sasry, who sat for the examination at Chatomuk Secondary School, said proctors and monitoring officials were strict.
“There was no cheating, no copying. It was good,” he said.
Sraing Bopha, who also sat for the examination at the same school, said she was awarded a C, which was better than she had expected.
“I just want them [the ministry] to ease up so that more students can pass next year,” said Bopha.
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability executive director San Chey said the number of students who received high marks in Phnom Penh versus those in rural areas indicated an inconsistency in the Kingdom’s education sector.
“I think the difference in grades is a result of a disparity in access to equal learning. We want measures to be taken immediately to address this to reduce the gap between urban and rural students,” Chey told The Post on Monday.
