Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron on Tuesday ordered private educational establishments to hold their high school diploma examinations for the 2019-2020 school year on August 17 and 18.

If the schools are unable to hold the examinations themselves, private students will take the examinations with their public school counterparts at an undetermined date.

In a letter, he said all private educational establishments had to request high school diploma examinations from the ministry through the education departments in the capital and provinces by this month for review and recognition.

Private schools must also attach the candidates’ names with the request.

“In case any private educational establishments are unable to hold examinations on their own, they have to wait and join examinations with students of public educational establishments,” he said.

Ministry spokesman Ros Soveacha confirmed on Thursday that private education establishments can hold their tests on August 17 and 18.

“The ministry and the Department of Education, Youth and Sport will observe examinations when necessary to guarantee examination quality.

“But the ministry maintains its right to change the high school diploma examination dates at private education establishments again if necessary,” he said.

Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (Cita) president Ouk Chhayavy said the ministry should not have advised private educational establishments to hold their examinations ahead of public schools because this places more value on private education.

“I don’t agree with allowing private educational establishments to hold the examinations now because every year the private education establishments have to take the examinations at the same time public education establishments take theirs,” she said.

She said if the examinations take place, there will be little transparency as Covid-19 will make them less closely monitored.