Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
When a photograph of Kasetsart University students wearing paper hats designed to prevent them from cheating during a textile exam appeared on social media sites on August 14, many believed the students were humiliated by having to wear the hats. However, university staff defended the hats as a fun way to prevent cheating.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post about KU’s response to this incident.
Academic staff at Kasetsart University denied the third-year students were pressured into wearing the hats. Nattadon Rungruangkitkrai, a lecturer at KU’s Agro-Industry Faculty, told a press conference on August 16 that it was the students themselves who suggested the hats, and that none had been forced to use them.
JOINT DECISION
Nattadon said the hat idea was among several methods proposed to prevent cheating. The students made the suggestions a week prior to the exam.
He said that moral issues had always been added to class studies and he had discussed with the students how to prevent cheating in the exam, which was taken by almost a hundred students.
“It was an agreement between us, and no student was forced to wear a hat,” Nattadon said. “All were happy to do so and thought it was fun.”
Nattadon, who took the photo and posted it in a closed Facebook group, said it would be the last time the paper hats were used.
“It was not meant to indicate that Kasetsart students often cheat on exams,” he said. “I apologise if the photo makes other people look at my students in a negative way.”
DIFFERENT IDEAS
Faculty dean Tanaboon Sajjaanantakul said staff trusted the students and that the hat idea was just intended to reduce any inducement to cheat.
Despite criticism that it indicated a failure of the education system — even though every student passed the exam — Tanaboon said it was right for people to have their say.
“We accept different thinking, but we do not agree that the photo reflects a failure of the education system,” he said.
Tanaboon added that the university focused on teaching morals and honesty.
STUDENT SUPPORT
During the press conference, some of the students who wore the hats turned up to provide support to the lecturer. Rawiporn Buasaeng said she was happy to have used the hat.
“It is not unusual for somebody to try to cheat in exams, and the hats helped us to avoid distractions during the test,” she said. “I feel sad and angry that it has caused a bad reaction,” she said.
Chananthorn Chiravechdechachan, another third-year student, said the hats made the students feel more relaxed during the test.
“It amused everybody and the exam went smoothly with no cheating,” she said.
Exercises
Write down the adjective forms of the following words used in the story.
1. prevent …………………………..
2. distractions …………………………..
3. suggested …………………………..
4. accept …………………………..
Vocabulary
- humiliate (v): to make somebody feel ashamed or stupid and lose the respect of other people
pressure (v): to force somebody to do something
inducement (n): something that is given to somebody to persuade them to do something
