The Cambodian Independent Teacher’s Association sent a letter to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport on Monday asking for intervention in what the association called the overcharging for students’ exam forms.
CITA President Rong Chhun said yesterday that parents and students from Preah Vihear and Svay Rieng provinces wrote to his organization asking for help with the exam form fees, which are set at each school by the headmaster.
“The Ministry of Education ought to set one price that is suitable for all of the schools in the country to sell exam forms,” Mr Chhun said.
Mr Ung Chen, a teacher at Samdech Hun Sen Krorl Kor High School in Svay Rieng, claimed that exam forms for grade 9 students cost 5,000 riel but are priced at 4,500 riel for grade 12 students. He added that a photograph of the student that is required to be turned in with the forms costs 6,000 riel.
But Mr Chen claimed the provincial department of education set a limit of 2,700 riel for grade 9 students and 3,000 riel for grade 12 students.
Touch Sothea, headmistress of the high school, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Kong Saroeun, director of the Svay Rieng provincial department of education, said yesterday that the Education Ministry, not the provincial departments, sets the prices for exam papers.
“I have solved this problem with the headmaster [at Krorl Kor High School] about the overcharging and she will give the money back to the students,” Mr Saroeun said.
In Preah Vihear, teacher Thuon Puth, who did not want his school identified, said exam sheets cost 6,500 riel for grade 9 and 12 students.
“It is very expensive because the poor students cannot afford it,” he said.
Phorn Chhorn, director of the Preah Vihear department of education, said his office set a limit of 5,000 riel for grade 9 students and 5,500 riel for grade 12 students. “I don’t know how much the schools sell their exam forms for,” he added.
Spokesman for the Education Ministry, In The, declined to comment on the pricing variations.
