2012-07-26
Radio Free Asia
Reports of bribery in Cambodian schools underscore the country's uphill battle against corruption.
Cambodian schoolchildren are being forced to pay bribes to pass
high school admissions tests, a senior local educator said on Thursday
while calling on the country’s Ministry of Education to have students
retake their most recent exams.
“These tests must be taken again, as the results of the previous tests are not valid,” Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president Rong Chhun told RFA in an interview.
Proctors and examiners for junior high school students are requiring payments of between U.S. $30 to U.S. $60 for a passing grade on high school entrance exams, Rong Chhun said, adding that “middlemen” are charging similar amounts for assurances the bribes will reach the right people.
“There is a price for middlemen between U.S. $30 to U.S. $50. I urge the Ministry of Education to work with local authorities to bring the suspects to justice,” Rong Chhun said.
Cambodian Minister of Education Im Sethy could not be reached for comment, but the reports of bribery in Cambodia’s schools underscore the country’s reputation, highlighted in a recent report by Berlin-based Transparency International, for widespread corruption in the public sector.
“This bribery takes place across the country,” Rong Chhun said.
Payment to proctors
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the parent of a student in Kandal province said that his son had been told to pay U.S. $30 to proctors at the Bun Rany Hun Sen High School Examination Center in order to pass his exam, held on July 16-17.
“All students were asked to pay at least U.S. $30 dollars, including my son. But my son gave only U.S. $25,” he said.
Results of the exam will be released on July 28, he said.
Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Cambodia 164th worst out of 182 countries surveyed in its 2011 Corruption Perception Index.
Cambodia’s official Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) launched an initiative in May to eliminate bribes solicited by local commune councilors for performing public services, with ACU deputy director Chhay Savuth declaring that “[Cambodia’s] culture of bribery has been in place for over 20 years.”
But international organizations have warned that the country’s graft-busting bodies will not be effective until they are free of government influence and control.
Reported by Den Ayuthya for RFA’s Khmer service. Translation by Samean Yun. Written in English by Richard Finney.
“These tests must be taken again, as the results of the previous tests are not valid,” Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president Rong Chhun told RFA in an interview.
Proctors and examiners for junior high school students are requiring payments of between U.S. $30 to U.S. $60 for a passing grade on high school entrance exams, Rong Chhun said, adding that “middlemen” are charging similar amounts for assurances the bribes will reach the right people.
“There is a price for middlemen between U.S. $30 to U.S. $50. I urge the Ministry of Education to work with local authorities to bring the suspects to justice,” Rong Chhun said.
Cambodian Minister of Education Im Sethy could not be reached for comment, but the reports of bribery in Cambodia’s schools underscore the country’s reputation, highlighted in a recent report by Berlin-based Transparency International, for widespread corruption in the public sector.
“This bribery takes place across the country,” Rong Chhun said.
Payment to proctors
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the parent of a student in Kandal province said that his son had been told to pay U.S. $30 to proctors at the Bun Rany Hun Sen High School Examination Center in order to pass his exam, held on July 16-17.
“All students were asked to pay at least U.S. $30 dollars, including my son. But my son gave only U.S. $25,” he said.
Results of the exam will be released on July 28, he said.
Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Cambodia 164th worst out of 182 countries surveyed in its 2011 Corruption Perception Index.
Cambodia’s official Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) launched an initiative in May to eliminate bribes solicited by local commune councilors for performing public services, with ACU deputy director Chhay Savuth declaring that “[Cambodia’s] culture of bribery has been in place for over 20 years.”
But international organizations have warned that the country’s graft-busting bodies will not be effective until they are free of government influence and control.
Reported by Den Ayuthya for RFA’s Khmer service. Translation by Samean Yun. Written in English by Richard Finney.
10 comments:
Bad start from the head start...Instead cut down corruption,they plant the seeds of corruption...That's what I called Cpp style in 21st century high school's students in Sok Khmer,bribery to get ahead to destroy your country faster...
Corruption is the enemy of every nation. The root of corruption are politicians.
Payment Follow Up Letter
Ladies and Gentlmen,
There are a thousand and one bad things like these in Cambodia.
ONE MAN, King ( Kong ) Hun Sen can make things better
for Cambodia and Cambodians, if he wants to.
Let's change the MAN !!!
Amelia, YES and NO, sweetheart !!!
I visit my home last year in BB, my niece came to me asking me for 20,000.riel for dak peak pro long? I ask her why you have to pay the teacher for that? She said, everybody have been doing that for century? I was shock to hear this? They suppose to pay the kid who got straight AAAAAAAAorBBBBBBB? Not paying up???
Govt or state's official should help paying all student or give money to the kids who gotten straight A/B in school, not taken their money for the testing..?? Whats kind of system is that..?? I think cambodian govt must get rid of this kind of crooked system for GOOOOOOOD! My God?
Eliminate the source of corruptions.
Eliminate the CORRUPTED Hun Sen' s regime itself.
TO 10:47pm
Go to the source.
Eliminate the corrupted regime itself.
Eliminate the corrupted regime itself
Education should be free
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