Vietnam ministry rejects justification on exam scandals
A top inspector rejected an elaboration on scandals in northern Ha Tay province where a recent graduation exam had its questions divulged prior to the tests, among other allegations.
Tran Ba Giao, deputy chief from the education ministry’ inspectorate told the press Monday the elaboration was inadequate.
He added the ministry was looking for signs of foul play and could re-mark certain papers.
The scandals started when the press ran photos of mobs climbing up school-walls and threw exam answers to the candidates just before the exam started late last month and early this month, suggesting the exam questions were known in advance.
A source said the education ministry had asked the public security ministry to look into why local police, supervisors and guardians did nothing when the mobs were clearly committing illegal acts.
Yet the Ha Tay education department still told the ministry that it “had not uncovered any questions-disclosure case.”
Concerning a scandal where many supervisors received VND400,000 ($25) each at one exam region, the department said “there is no suggestion or directive from the schools”.
“It is just voluntary contribution from the examinees’ parents to the supervisors during the summer.”
Regarding the loss of answer sheets at a multiple-choice test in another exam region, the department laid the blame on the region head and the headmaster of the school.
However, the headmaster had just assumed his position, the department added.
The loss resulted in 192 examinees forgoing standard sheets and resorting to photocopies which were later marked by hand as the marking machine could not operate on the photocopies.
“Of 79 exam regions in the province, only 8 failed to meet ministry standards,” the department said.
The province has led the nation in terms of pass rates in the exam, with 99.27 percent of examinees passed.
The exam held early this month is probably the most important test during pre-tertiary levels as only successful candidates get a ticket to university.
By Hoang Bao - Thanh Nien - June 19, 2006.
|