• Society

Keep Trying, PM Hun Sen Tells Exam Failures

• By Sam Sopich
• May 4, 2022 8:26 PM

PM celebrates Grade A success stories

PHNOM PENH – Prime Minister Hun Sen has encouraged students who failed the National exam (Baccll) to retake the exam next year or pursue skills in technical training schools.

The number of grade A students suddenly increased in the 2020-21 academic year which was a pleasure to hear, he said.

However, he encouraged failed students not to be disappointed and study again to retake the exam next year or choose professional skills to shape their abilities.

“A huge number of students got grade A. We didn’t think that would happen during school closures and online learning,” he said at the Conversation Ceremony with Grade A Students at OCIC Chroy Changvar on May 3.

“It’s because of the efforts of the ministry, parents and students themselves.”

The Prime Minister congratulated all grade A students and their parents.

Pheng Sochan, a Grade A student of Chea Sim Samaky High School, said she was excited and satisfied with the result as her hard work had finally paid off.

She said that during the Covid-19 crisis, there had been a shift from school-based learning to e-learning, which made it harder to grasp lessons in online classes.

Sometimes the internet service was inconvenient, which made it difficult to listen to teachers even if the house was quiet or there was no disturbance.

Studying at school gave her a different vibe, which made it easier to concentrate on the lessons and the teachers’ explanations. Many students failed the exam probably due to a lack of concentration.

“Please do not give up,” she said. “They still can retake the exam for next year or study technical and vocational education and training. It can make them skillful and earn money to support their pursuit of an associate degree.”

For an 18-year-old girl with potential, getting an A grade is not effortless and requires more self-studying and a suitable study schedule for e-learning, Sochan added. support and encouragement of family and teachers, as well as friends, were a great source of strength.

“I feel very excited and happy to have the opportunity to participate in a get-together with Samdech [Hun Sen].

“My parents are very happy because it is a rare opportunity. They encouraged me to double my efforts to learn, as they will continue to be a source of encouragement and motivation.”

Sochan is committed to pursuing higher education and applying the knowledge she gains from the university to society.

Thean Sokeng, a Grade A student from Belti international school, said he was so happy to get a good result and meet the Prime Minister in person.

He said that during the pandemic, there were a lot of challenges for students as they had to shift to e-learning, in which they were required to do more self-studying.

“I always practiced self-studying, so it might be one of the reasons that I got a good result,” he said, adding that he recommends the students who failed the national exam to keep going by continuing their studies.

Currently, Sokeng is a freshman at Belti International University majoring in international business. He said his parents always encouraged him to focus on studying even if times were hard due to the global pandemic.

“I am very happy and feel special to see our Prime Minister in person, unfortunately, it’s sad that I cannot take a photo with him,” he said.  

Each student who got grade A received 2 million riels or $500, two educational books, an iPad, a gift from Chip Mong Company, as well as a Khmer coin issued in 1514.

According to the Ministry of Education, 114,187 12th Grade students sat for the Baccalaureate examination (Baccll) in 2021. Of these 72,016 students passed and 42,171 failed.

A total of 1,753 students received Grade A, compared with just 443 in 2019, and 5,215 received Grade B, a significant increase from 2430 in 2019, the ministry said.

Due to COVID-19, the ministry allowed all Grade 12 students who sat for the national examinations in 2020 to pass automatically.