Ministry Officials Involved In Exam Cheating, D S I Suspects

[Lite Beer]

Ministry officials involved in exam cheating, DSI suspects
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation on Sunday

The Department of Special Investigation suspects that central administrative officials were involved in cheating in the teacher assistants' exam, a source at the DSI said yesterday.

The DSI probe suspected some Education Ministry executive-level officials might be involved and had a key role in the cheating, the source said. The suspicion stems from the fact an order was issued for a change from having each educational zone conduct exams to recruit teacher assistants to having the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) organise the nationwide exams. This enabled central administrators to see the manpower needs of each zone and how many positions were available.

Some people were sent to take the test in other areas in order to match the fields needed.

DSI also suspected the exam paper leakage may be from the central administration rather than during the paper printing process or when it was transported by Thailand Post because answers that cheating test-takers recited were complete, with all 30 specific-field subjects as well as three general subjects. If the papers were stolen during transport the cheating gang would only get hold of the papers of three general subjects and one specific-field subject that the particular area wanted to recruit, the source explained.

The Special Case Committee will decide on Wednesday whether to take up this case for the DSI to officially investigate the teacher assistant exam cheating. If that is approved, the DSI would spend 15 days to check facts and nine alleged irregularities for further investigation, said Thanin Prempree, director of the DSI's corruption prevention and suppression centre.

The probe would be divided into two parts. The civil servants' abuse of authority would be submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and wrongdoing by those partaking in the cheating (including school directors who provided answers to test-takers or "imposters" and some civil servants hired to train people how to use electronic devices to receive signals for correct answers during the test), he said.

-- The Nation 2013-03-24

[chainarong]

D.S.I. Go one step higher old son,its a bit bigger than you think.

[hanuman2543]

Another sad day for the Thai Education System. Money for high ranking officials is more important than the quality of education for the children. Consequences? Another reshuffle to inactive posts?

[ChrisY1]

I can hardly believe it.....officials involved in cheating.....!!

Where did all the "cheat money" end up?...........not to be continued methinks....

[monty1412]

ho hum.. just another day in paradise.....going after those who have been corrupt is akin to shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Im surprised if you look at the breakdown of job categories in Thailand that " Inactive or Gardening Duty" doesnt rank as the number one profession in the Land.

[MEL1]

"The Special Case Committee will decide on Wednesday whether to take up this case for the DSI to officially investigate"

or if we receive a nice 'graft' envelope prior to Wednesday then we will, of course, not take up this case.

-mel.

[ricardofel]

Big deal...The majority of Thais believe in corruption and cheating, so long as they get something out of it....a perfect example of a dysfunctional country.

[theajarn]

I swear I should make a collectible card game out of the events here in Thailand. This sh*t it better than a soap opera. Teachers cheating in exams. Oh the irony...

[kurnell]

How and why does one official dob on another? I thought they kept it all in the family, especially as they are all doing it. It's just like one politician calling the other corrupt. Pointless.

[fareastguy]

ho hum.. just another day in paradise.....going after those who have been corrupt is akin to shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Im surprised if you look at the breakdown of job categories in Thailand that " Inactive or Gardening Duty" doesnt rank as the number one profession in the Land.

While it may not rank as the #1 profession in the LOS I think it may well be the #1 employer !!

[fareastguy]

A far reaching investigation, a lot of "huffing & puffing" and then.. nothing !!

Seen it all before, sadly the next generation of kids are the ones to suffer at the hands of their so called mentors..

The worrying thing is though, it's this up and coming generation that has to run this nation in a few years time!!

Unless it's going to be the spoon fed offspring from a certain dynasty family that intend to rule forever ??

[ginjag]

The proof of the pudding is in the eating--- here we have top decisions being made at top level, This is all the proof you need , Where and how did a vast amount get their Hon-Degree. ???

[Locationthailand]

No one has stated the monetary compensation paid by the budding teachers for the papers or the answers. But I guess that would be speculation. But now DSI is involved I am sure I will rest easier knowing the tax I pay will be going in the right direction.

[surangw]

probably cheating is how the ministry officials got their jobs

[belg]

ahhhhh the lure of easy money

where is the time that people with skills were put into the right places, that is long gone, since you can buy your degree and buy your position ...

[maturebrit]

well the police cheat in their qualification exams and pay good money for the answer sheet....so why does this not surprise me

[Bellweather]

Big deal...The majority of Thais believe in corruption and cheating, so long as they get something out of it....a perfect example of a dysfunctional country.

This comment is spot on as shown in regular ABAC polls where the majority don't see anything wrong with corruption providing it's not excessive ( define excessive ) and everybody can share.

Many years ago I taught at a rural university and in a conversation session with one of the better classes asked what sort of issues concerned them, all 27 put corruption at the top of their list. They have all long since graduated and are out in the real world so I wonder what their views are now and how many are in it up to their armpits ?