TEACHERS and officials who were caught accepting bribes from students in exchange for allowing them to cheat during this year’s nationwide high school exams will face legal action, an official at the Ministry of Education said yesterday.

Ou Eng, director general of the general department of education at the Education Ministry, said yesterday that teachers and officials at some exam centres had accepted money from students in exchange for copies of the exam or for allowing students to talk during exam time.

“[We] caught some teachers collecting money from students in some provinces and cities,” Ou Eng said, adding that he could not comment on the number of teachers and officials involved.

“We have already got their names and the Ministry will take legal action against them. They can be suspended from work, or banned from monitoring exams,” he added.

May Sopheaktra, a member of the central committee of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, yesterday commended the Ministry for “recognising” the problem, and urged it to punish both high and low-ranking officials involved in the corruption.