Fake Exam Papers Foil Would-Be Cheaters

Ninth-grade students hoping for a shortcut to success in their national examinations were left disappointed yesterday, after advance copies of exam papers apparently being offered for sale in the capital this week proved to be fakes.

Pupils interviewed yesterday said the papers on offer had not helped with the exams, which concluded today. One student, who gave his name as Davuth, said he bought purported exam questions on Monday, but that none of the questions appeared on the real test. Only a few were even similar to ones in the exam, he said.

“I didn’t buy them today because they are not useful,” he said.

A student from Wat Koh high school in Daun Penh district, who declined to give his name, said the papers he purchased appeared to have been assembled from previous exam questions and study material.

The pocket-sized cheat notes turned out to be of little benefit as well, students said. Seng Chhorn Hout, 15, said some of his schoolmates had purchased notes—but to use for overnight revision only. “Only around 10 percent [of the material] was similar to the national exam,” he said.

Secretary of State for the Ministry of Education Mak Vann said he believed vendors pretend the exam questions they sell are genuine to encourage students to buy them.

“Students are worried about doing well and these people try to take advantage of that,” he said, adding: “They try to make money from people’s fears.”

Kirth Chantharith, National Police spokesman, said police were focused on test center security during the examinations, not cheating. He added that officers checked stores that had cheat notes on display, but did not observe any illegal activity.

Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said police had also been responsible for transporting the exam questions to test centers throughout the country, and there were no reports of leaks.

“We were keeping it very secret right up to the first day of the exams,” Lt Gen Sopheak said.

 

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