INTERVIEWS with students and teachers confirm the Education Minister Ung Huot has eliminated the corruption in the high school examinations, and furthermore they support his moves.

Brak Buntha, a 27-year-old student from Kandal provincial town high school, said the high school graduate examinations from 16-18 June were 100 percent fair.

"It was fair because only 20 students in my province passed... even a daughter of the deputy governor, Chhun Saron, failed the exam too... this made me strongly believe the exams were fair."

"In the last few years ... all students whose fathers, brothers or sisters were provincial officials could pass the exam automatically. Now I am sure Ung Huot is much better than the previous minister."

Eang Rith, a 26-year-old student from Kompong Thom provincial town high school, said: "I believe the exams were at least 90 to 93 percent fair because I noticed that only the clever students passed in my province.

"I am very happy with Minister Ung Huot who has cleared up bribery and corruption in the educational field. This is a wonderful success for our country.

"Before the exams I thought that Ung Huot could not eliminate the corruption.

"I used to criticize him when I saw him speak on TV about beating corruption, but now I believe him."

Koy Mol, a chemistry teacher at a Kandal high school, said that it was difficult to be corrupt this year because the Education ministry sent secret supervisors to oversee each examination center.

He added that the teachers implementing the examinations were continually moved around the country making it difficult to collude.

He said: "This method made me and other teachers scared of each other. I was scared of the school principles and teachers and they were scared of me and other teachers because none of us previously new each other."

Mol explained that last year principles or officials told teachers to collect money off students who wished to pass the exams.

The teachers would then give the bulk of the money to the principles or officials who were close to people in the Education Ministry who could make sure the students passed the exams. Mol said the moving around of the teachers and principles made the practice impossible this year.

Yos Hort, a 24 year-old Bak Touk high school student in Phnom Penh, said: "I believe the high school exams were 100 per cent fair. It is great for our country. I would like to admire the minister for his efforts in eliminating corruption. We need more ministers like Ung Huot."

But Hort said he believed there was still some corruption in the University and other higher education exams. He said: "I think the university and faculty exams were only 90 to 93 percent fair."

"The people who have been corrupt before still use their same old tricks."

Buntha agreed, he said: "There remain a few corrupt officials involved in administering the university and faculty exams who secretly collaborate with faculty and university teachers and educational ministry officials who occupy important supervisory positions in administering the exams."