Phnom Penh, May 3 (IANS): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday met 1,753 students who graduated the 2021 high school exit exam with Grade A, awarding each of them with an iPad and $500.

Hun Sen said the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines has allowed the top scored students from across the nation to gather in capital Phnom Penh for the first time after a hiatus since the pandemic hit the kingdom in January 2020, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Successful vaccinations have given us an opportunity to get together again," he said.

Cambodia launched a national vaccination campaign against the virus in February 2021.

"So far, almost 15 million, or 93.7 per cent of our (16 million) population have received at least one dose of vaccines," Hun Sen said.

Of them, 14.2 million, or 88.7 per cent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots, according to the Health Ministry.

Also, some 8.6 million, or 53.7 per cent, have taken a third dose, and 1.75 million, or 11 per cent, have got a fourth dose.

With its high vaccination rates, the kingdom has resumed all socioeconomic activities and reopened its borders to vaccinated travellers without quarantine since last November.

Cambodia has reported a total of 136,257 Covid cases and 3,056 deaths.