Teachers from three schools in Kompong Cham province are demanding the removal of their school principals, accusing them of misappropriating the Ministry of Education’s Priority Action Project funds, while teachers in Oddar Meanchey province are striking to demand three months’ back pay.
Teachers at Samdech Chuon Nath high school in Kompong Cham have been on strike for two months following officials’ failure to remove their headmistress, who faces numerous accusations, said Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association President Rong Chhun.
On Nov 28, Minister of Education Kol Pheng approved the creation of committees to administer the school, investigate corruption and litigate against teachers who don’t fulfill their duties, but Schoolmistress Khorn Sithuon was still running the school Monday.
“All of the teachers are disappointed,” Rong Chhun said. “Khorn Sithuon has not only misappropriated money from Priority Action Projects and grabbed land from the school compound, but she also used abusive words and has been careless in managing school affairs.”
More than 40 teachers from Bun Rany Hun Sen Memot primary school and Heng Samrin secondary school sent complaints to Kol Pheng Tuesday, stating that PAP and other funds had been misused for school administrators’ travel expenses and welcome parties for visiting officials.
Chea Se, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Education, said the ministry would investigate and hold responsible anyone using funds against the ministry’s directives.
Kol Pheng could not be reached for comment Monday or Tuesday.
Separately, teachers at some schools in Oddar Meanchey’s Samraong district are owed up to three months’ salary, including 20 teachers at Samraong primary school who have been on strike for the last week, Rong Chhun said.
Oddar Meanchey officials told CITA that the teachers had not been paid due to a lack of funds.
Chea Se said he was checking with provincial authorities since he had received a call about the strike but said he had not received any formal complaints.
