The Cambodian Independent Teachers Association this week asked Minister of Education Youth and Sport Im Sethy to intervene in a dispute with district and provincial authorities in Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces over the reduction of teacher bonuses.
According to a copy of a letter sent Tuesday to Im Sethy, 58 teachers complained of a reduction in bonuses for working in rural areas and for working overtime on Thursdays.
“I want the ministry to quickly solve this problem, since it discourages teachers from working and might affect future teachers’ desire to teach,” CITA chief Rong Chhun said by phone Wednesday.
Im Sethy could not be reached for comment Friday.
Yim Yeoun, a Hob secondary school first- and second-grade teacher in Prey Veng province’s Kompong Trabek district, said he is supposed to receive 10,000 riel (about $2.50) for teaching Thursdays, but it is always reduced and it takes three months to get to him.
“My Thursday money is always reduced and when I ask about it they say they need the money for administration costs and fuel,” he said, adding that he has to work as a motorcycle taxi driver to supplement his pay.
Prey Veng province Education Department Deputy Chief Khat Saroeun said by phone Friday that teachers are not having pay withheld.
“Some teachers do not get all the Thursday pay because they don’t attend the entire Thursday meeting,” he said. “This is the school policy to not pay an inactive teacher who spends the meeting doing a different job so when they get the money; they think the school reduced their pay for no reason.”
Khat Saroeun encouraged teachers to file a complaint with him and said he would take action if such a thing is occurring.
