On the morning of March 14, 2026, a total of 288 monk students applied to take the entrance examination for Buddhist lower-secondary education for the 2026–2027 academic year. The examination ceremony was attended by Preah Sihanouk deputy governor Nay Kong, the head of a Ministry of Cults and Religion delegation, other attendees, lecturers, Dhamma teachers and relevant institutions.
Provincial Cults and Religion department head Kang Dinat said candidates came from four provinces: 40 from Preah Sihanouk, 77 from Takeo, 98 from Kampot and 73 from Kampong Speu, totalling 288.
There were 12 examination rooms: 25 candidates in each of the first 11 rooms and 13 in the twelfth. The papers were Pali from 7 to 9 a.m., dictation from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Vinaya from 1:30 to 3 p.m., and mathematics from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Deputy governor Nay Kong urged the central committee, chief invigilators, invigilators and all monk and other candidates to safeguard examination quality and ensure correct and fair procedures. He cautioned against looking at one another’s work, copying from one another or taking copies of documents into examination rooms. He expressed hope and confidence that the examining board would conscientiously implement these principles.
Written by Nget Pisant.
