As national examinations quickly approach this month, many students in Cambodia and Laos hope to use social media sites like Facebook to get an early glimpse of the questions on the test. Radio Free Asia has an interesting story in Laos where government officials deny the cheating while parents speak openly about it:

Another father, who denied to be named, said he was not surprised by the cheating.

“It routinely occurred during the previous school year, but the information was not shared as widely as it was this time,” he said.

Similar issues have plagued Cambodia in the past, but last year’s crack down on cheating has changed the system. As a result of the strict examination procedures — which resulted in high rates of student failure, Universities have seen a rise in enrollment for 2-year associate degree, which does not require students to pass the high school exit examination.

Will Laos implement a similar anti-corruption regime like Cambodia? Is cheating on school examinations rampant in other Mekong Region states like Myanmar or Thailand?