Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 20 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that after overseeing 42 civil service exams involving eight ministries and institutions, the reforms in the civil service examination process have received strong support from candidates and their guardians.

The premier spoke on Thursday (Mar. 20) during the closing ceremony of 2024 Ministry of Civil Service annual meeting at Premier Centre Sen Sok in Phnom Penh.

Samdech Thipadei claimed that if the exams are not conducted fairly, approximately 120,000 candidates will definitely react.

Samdech Thipadei underscored, “We have conducted 42 exams involving 8 ministries and institutions, with 20,000 candidates, of whom only 4,197 passed. Around 111,000 failed, but they failed with integrity. None of them came forward claiming they failed because of favouritism or bribery. This is what we want—fairness and trust.”

On the occasion, Prime Minister Hun Manet reflected on his experience overseeing military recruitment exams, emphasizing the importance of monitoring three key stages in the process:

- Stage 1: Preventing the leakage of exam results before the exam.

- Stage 2: Ensuring the integrity of the examination process on the exam day.

- Stage 3: Avoiding public outcry after the results are announced.

Samdech Thipadei noted that during the examination process, the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) took action against some officials and a small number of candidates. According to feedback from parents, there were two rounds of the exams. Even if their children failed the second round, some parents were still satisfied because only 800 out of 3,000 candidates passed the first round.

At the same time, Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to the Ministry of Civil Service, the ACU, and all the other ministries and institutions involved, as well as to the volunteers who contributed to the success of this process.
=FRESH NEWS