Tight security at exam sites for teacher jobs

[Lite Beer]

Tight security at exam sites for teacher jobs
Supinda Na Mahachai,
Prasit Tangprasert,
Seksanti Kanlayanawisut
The Nation on Sunday

Metal detectors are run over people sitting a test for teaching assistant posts at a school in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday. More than 4,000 had to sit the test again after the results of a previous exam were cancelled due to fraud.

KHORAT: -- No cheating was reported yesterday - the first day of exams to select assistant teachers - after strict measures were taken by education officials.

"We have not received any reports about cheating so far, and stricter measures implemented at the test sites will help to ensure that there won't be any," said Pitsanu Tulasuk, acting deputy secretary general for the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec). "The process of creating and delivering the test papers was also done and guarded very carefully," he said.

Yesterday's exam saw stricter measures implemented to prevent cheating at exam sites in many provinces, especially Nakhon Ratchasima, where large numbers of candidates taking the exam earlier this year were found to have cheated.

As many as 83,930 people are sitting the test this weekend at 398 sites - competing for a mere 1,070 positions. Today's exam will cover areas of education and also test the candidates' knowledge of their specialised majors.

Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana and top officials at the ministry will visit some sites in Bangkok during the exam today.

Education Ministry permanent secretary Panita Kambhu Na Ayutthaya, who chairs a fact-finding panel that investigated cheating earlier this year, said two officials at Obec would be interviewed this week. During previous exams, one of them was seen in the vicinity of the computer that stored the test paper files and the other allegedly reported to officials that the test paper had been leaked. Panita said her panel would submit the results of its investigation to Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich in early July.

More than 4,000 people took the exam in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday. Technicians at exam sites in the province used vehicles equipped with signal jammers to prevent mobile phones being used and metal detectors to scan the test-takers. No belongings were allowed at exam sites, other than items needed to take the exam.

Strict measures were also implemented in Udon Thani where all candidates were required to wear white T-shirts. Officials inspected the pockets of the 2,500 students taking the exam to prevent them taking in mobile phones and other banned items. Those who turned up not wearing T-shirts were frisked before officials allowed them to enter. Test papers were also stored in an area watched by 10 CCTV cameras.

-- The Nation 2013-06-23

[MaxLee]

Amazing Paranoiya Thailand

Can we expect that to trillions of kids and students in the future to get metal detector(ed) at their bodies to detect cheating devices???

[A Member]

No cheating reported, metal detectors and tight security so all's well then !

What about candidates who get advance knowledge of the questions ?

[Songhua]

Will a metal detector pick up a piece of paper in your bra?

[nottocus]

Young lady being scanned in the picture could teach me any day.

[MaxLee]

No cheating reported, metal detectors and tight security so all's well then !

What about candidates who get advance knowledge of the questions ?

What about the future cues of trillion s kachillians of test takers, young and old, that will waste a whole day, until people cant take their exams

[Songhua]

Young lady being scanned in the picture could teach me any day.

I went back for a second look. It said that those without t-shirts were being frisked but can't see any in that particular photo.

[NongKhaiKid]

Nothing about the security of completed exam papers and steps to ensure members of the marking panel don't arrange to get certain answer papers so they can" look after " students who have crossed their palms with silver.

[Bellweather]

Let's face it no system is completely foolproof especially here where cheating and corruption are endemic.

If someone involved with the exams decides to make money, help a friend or relative etc. a way will most definitely be found.

[Robby nz]

1070 seems a low intake of teachers ,presumably, each year.

We have teachers in many areas looking after classes that are far to big.

Surely upping the number of teachers would be an easy way to start improving education.

[NongKhaiKid]

This process, like so many others, relies on qualities that are in short supply in Thailand such as honesty and integrity to name but two.

The exam situation we are discussing is open to abuse all the way up until the results are actually published as somebody, somewhere can marry a name or candidate number to a mark and can alter it accordingly.

[Thai at Heart]

Of course, if they relied on previously obtained qualifications instead of these ridiculous mass every exams, there wouldn't be less chance for corruption.

A relative took an exam for a position at egat last week. It simply perpetuates nepotism and corruption to have these exams.

4000 applicants. Tell me that mates and relatives don't get shuffled to the top????

Edited June 23, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[worgeordie]

So the cheaters get a second chance, wonder how many will pass this

time.

regards Worgeordie

[fakename]

The very people that the country should be able to trust, what a shame! Something rotten here. How are these cheating teachers, going to raise the future generation of Thai's. They should strive to be politicians or police, if they like to cheat, but not teachers!

[Mampara]

Will a metal detector pick up a piece of paper in your bra?

For sure, this is a special metal detector, it comes from the same company that sold us the bomb detector's in the south.

[Thai at Heart]

The very people that the country should be able to trust, what a shame! Something rotten here. How are these cheating teachers, going to raise the future generation of Thai's. They should strive to be politicians or police, if they like to cheat, but not teachers!

I don't know why anyone expects them to be any better than the average Thai.

[Somtamnication]

How can a frog's ass be closed tight under water if there is no water to begin with?

[Noistar]

This school has ethics which Thailand needs for the future. A list of boundaries (whatever they are) which applies to everyone.

Shame they're back to the sod everyone else, me, me, me as soon as they're out the door.

Courtesy of Facebook

[SOTIRIOS]

.........much easier for certain foreigners to 'acquire' degrees......and get jobs..earning much more than even genuine, qualified Thai teachers.......

........maybe the 'racket' is much more widespread and ingrained than imaginable.....

[GentlemanJim]

What a sad reflection on a society where teachers have to undergo security checks for exams.

[hellodolly]

I notice not a word on their ability to use the pad which is supposed to be the savior of education in Thailand.

Besides what is the criteria to be a teacher assistant?

With 83,930 people sitting for the test and only 1070 positions open.

I am sure that the bulk of them will pass the test.

Also the test is for teaching assistant. I wonder how the existing teachers would do with the same test?

[belg]

so the metal detector also detects cheating papers hidden on their body, whatever ?

it also detects answers were not bought to study before the exams?

[LuckyLew]

This does not say much for Thailand, it's people, the teaching profession and the education system

[MaxLee]

so the metal detector also detects cheating papers hidden on their body, whatever ?

it also detects answers were not bought to study before the exams?

More or less it detects iPhones...

[cloudhopper]

i can't imagine anyone here going through 4 years of university to be a teacher knowing they face 80 to 1 odds against ever getting that job.

[Noistar]

i can't imagine anyone here going through 4 years of university to be a teacher knowing they face 80 to 1 odds against ever getting that job.

And with these odds, the teachers who get the teaching posts are meant to be the cream!

What are the others like who don't get posts? Thai education and University education in particular, can be rightly held up for ridicule. No wonder a Thai degree is a joke in the first world.

[Noistar]

.........much easier for certain foreigners to 'acquire' degrees......and get jobs..earning much more than even genuine, qualified Thai teachers.......

........maybe the 'racket' is much more widespread and ingrained than imaginable.....

Perhaps a foreigner with an 'acquired' degree is infinitely better than a Thai with a bit of paper, sorry 'degree'.

What makes a Thai teacher 'qualified'? The t-shirt with "I've got a Thai university degree, student no. 12345, university initials, my name and surname"? Or maybe it's to do with an actual ability.

But TIT. As farangs know, Thailand wouldn't exist if it wasn't for paper. Now, when's my 90 days up?

[wildorchid]

Don't worry about your very low score on the exam, You want the job? pay me, it's been done this way for years and will continue until Thai's are not ok with paying for a job.

[drdoom6996]

That means the price to get a Teaching job just went up. TEST, we don't need no stinking TEST. Sell the results and have a party.

[kimamey]

Will a metal detector pick up a piece of paper in your bra?

As a well proportioned male I don't wear a bra but if I did it would be no concern of yours what, if anything I kept in it young man.