Phone in ONET sparks 'mass fail' claim

Phone in ONET sparks 'mass fail' claim

The National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) denies it has failed an entire classroom of students because a mobile phone belonging to one of them rang during an Ordinary National Educational Test (Onet) exam in Laksi district.

Speaking during the inspection of the Onet exams at Triam Udom Suksa School, NIETS director Sampan Panpruk said the claims were false.

Mr Sampan was referring to messages shared in social media that students sitting English Onet exams in a classroom at Rajavinitbangkhen School were forced to withdraw from the test after no one admitted to owning the ringing mobile phone.

He said the information might have come from a misunderstanding. Teachers could not simply fail all the students in the classroom. The punishment could only be applied to the student who violated the exam regulations, he said.

An official overseeing the test reported that a mobile phone was left under the chair of a student and it rang about 10 minutes before the exam ended. The official took the mobile phone out of the exam room, Mr Sampan said.

It was still to be decided if that student should fail the exam as a NIETS panel would need to look into the reports filed by officials at the school, he said.

Ruangyot Utarasat, director of Rajavinitbangkhen School, said the student is unlikely to fail the exam.

"It was only a small issue and caused no trouble to anyone," Mr Ruangyot said. "The student only forgot to turn off the mobile phone and had no intention to cheat."

The school, however, will beef up vigilance during the exams, he added.

Mr Sampan said there were no reports of cheating at the two-day Onet exams for Mathayom 6 (Grade 12) nationwide.

He also said he had not received any complaints from exam officials that the tests were affected by excessive noises or the absence of students as a result of the political demonstrations in Bangkok.

Triam Udom Suksa School director Pramet Molee yesterday said the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) demonstration had not affected classes at the school, which is near the PDRC rally site at Pathumwan intersection.

The Onet test at the school also ran smoothly, he said.

The exam comprises eight major subjects and is typically used for university admissions.

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