Cambodia to spend $3m for organizing high school graduation exam

Cambodia will spend around 3 million U.S. dollars to organize an annual high school graduation exam on Aug. 24 and 25, which will see 88,488 students sitting for the test, Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said Friday.

"About 3 million U.S. dollars will be spent for running the exam, " he told a press conference.

He said this year's exam will be as strict as that of last year: crib sheets, cell phones, smart phones, and other electronic devices will not be allowed to be taken into the exam rooms.

According to the minister, thousands of invigilators along with more than 3,000 anti-corruption officials and volunteers, will be deployed at all 150 exam centers with 3,576 classes across the country to monitor the process of the exam.

The high school graduation test is a prerequisite for students to pursue their studies in university levels.

The applicants will take the exam in the subjects of geography, history, biology, foreign language, Khmer literature, mathematics and moral-civic education, according to an education ministry's statement.

The results of the two-day test will be issued on Sept. 15 and 16, the statement said.

In last year's exam, only 33,997, or 40.6 percent, of nearly 90, 000 applicants passed the test.