EXAMS & ELECTION RESULTS (again?)

Test Time

Since the end of elections and the school year I have become acutely aware of how quiet it is around my community. The rain and the demands of rice transplanting have translated to fewer patients in the health center and limited the times (if at all) people can meet with me when out in the villages. But the first full week of August was Capital Q “Quiet.” Too quiet. Why? Because of the 12^th grade exams. Across the country 107,835 students were eligible to sit for the exams. Testing centers are typically in district and provincial towns so the 100 or so seniors from my community headed to nearby Pouk High School often accompanied by parents or relatives, the majority of whom waited outside of the school compound for encouragement. My host mom and sister did this for my younger brother, and this is a common practice across the country. My host brother and his classmates will get their results at the end of the month. Fingers crossed!

The 12^th grade exams or bralong bactdop are a two day intensive exam sequence with a reading day squeezed in, that in essence determines EVERYTHING. It is the SAT or ACT if that was the absolute ONLY criteria for admission to college and university and scholarships so that these seniors can actually attend. Because of this pressure to do well, cheating is a common practice. Some examples of cheating include sending photos of answer sheets that are bribed from school officials and teachers via smartphones, bribing proctors to allow copying, etc. The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport has acknowledged cheating as an issue, but as of now has done little if anything to curb it. PCVs in the English Teacher and Teacher Trainer (ETTT) program often are discouraged by the rampant cheating and many are exasperated knowing that if they crack down on cheating at their school they will be putting their students at a great disadvantage because the practices will continue elsewhere. Many chose to wish their students luck on the exams and get as far away from the testing centers as possible.

Elusive Election Results

In other news, debate over the national election results continue to rage! Internationally, Khmer people have been protesting the government and urging the UN to get involved. Most notably, last week there was a protest of over 1,000 people outside of the UN headquarters in NYC. The UN has released a statement saying that they will get involved only if invited by the Cambodian government - very unlikely seeing as the result put the CPP in power (again) for another five years. Since the preliminary results were released after the July 28^th election (68-55 CPP win), the National Election Committee (NEC) did a quick “recount” and said that it was actually only 67-56 in CPP’s favor. The CRNP (opposition) party and popular figure head, Sam Rainsey, claim to have actually won and who knows what will happen when the “official results” are announced on September 8^th with the new government supposed to be formed by the end of September.

Monsoon Moments

While we wait (don’t hold your breath…), the rains continue to fall. The beginning of the monsoon season in Cambodia also marks "Choal Vassa," known as Buddhist Lent or the Buddhist Rains Retreat.  During this three-month period starting on the first waning of the eighth moon, which fell on July 23 this year, monks no longer make their early-morning rounds seeking alms and rice. Instead they are required to stay inside the temples, where they concentrate on studying the Dhamma, or Buddhist precepts. Choal Vassa, practiced throughout Buddhist Southeast Asia, originated from the need of wandering monks to seek shelter indoors during the rainy season. In addition, villagers don't want monks tromping through the fields during the planting season, ruining the seedlings. Coinciding with school vacation, Choal Vassa is also a period for boys and young men to temporarily enter the monkhood, studying the Dhamma and earning merit for their parents.

However, in Cambodia, it has changed a little bit now. Even though monks are no longer allowed to go from house to house to beg for food during this period, we observe that some still do this as there are not many Buddhist people taking food to the pagodas to offer to them there because most of them are busy on their farms. 

transplanting rice

Stay tuned for my adventures doing quintessential Cambodian things, like riding water buffaloes and transplanting rice...