A student is searched for contraband by officials before entering a national exam in 2014. Pha Lina
As many as 75,059 students or 66.21 per cent passed this year’s high school examinations. The figure is 2.37 per cent higher than last year, a Ministry of Education announcement said on Sunday.
The ministry said this year, the number students who received either an A, B or C grade decreased. This, it said, was due to higher test standards which encouraged students to study harder.
“The reason that the number of students who got an A, B, or C was lower is that the ministry raised the standard of the examination to improve the quality of education and encourage candidates to study harder,” it said.
This year 290 students in the Kingdom received an A, as compared to 424 last year.
Just over 1,500 students this year got a B, down by nearly 1,000 from last year, while 4,632 students earned a C this year.
The ministry also confirmed that 17 candidates failed the examination automatically due to rule violations.
Meas Chamroeun, a math teacher at Jayavarman VII high school, who also graded the examination, said if the ministry continued to restrict the grading system, the percentage of students who earn A, B or C grades would remain the same.
“In some subjects, teachers give easy grades. It is not accurate,” he said.
A breakdown of the provinces where students got the top marks this year showed that 135 came from Phnom Penh, 21 from Siem Reap, 16 from Kandal, 16 from Takeo, 15 from Battambang, 13 from Kampong Cham, and 11 from Kampot.
There were also nine each from Tbong Khmum, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang and Banteay Meanchey, eight from Prey Veng, six from Kratie, four from Pursat, three each from Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu and Preah Sihanouk and one from Ratanakkiri.
‘I will pass next year’
Particularly notable was Peng Kimheng, a student from Beltei International University, who got perfect scores in every subject. He plans to study science in the future.
However, Yoeun Ratana, another Phnom Penh student was disappointed to discover that he failed this year’s exams.
“I will continue to study and will pass the exam next year,” he said in tears.
Ly Kim Laing, a student from the capital’s Chamkarmon district, who passed with a C, said she expected this kind of result before taking the examination.
“I believe the results because I tried my best. I thought earlier that I would pass with a B or C. Now, I passed with only a C,” said Kim Laing.
