Phnom Penh Still Lacks School Buildings in 2010 – Monday, 21.12.2009

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 644

“Officials of the Department of Education, Youth, and Sports of Phnom Penh said that in 2010, Phnom Penh lacks hundreds of classrooms for students, both at primary and secondary levels.

“The deputy head of the Phnom Department of Education, Youth, and Sports, Mr. Em Ham Khuon, said on 18 December 2009 that at present, there are 22 lower secondary schools and 25 high schools in Phnom Penh. Most school do not have sufficient classrooms; secondary schools lack 110 rooms, and only 8 of the 25 high schools lack 80 rooms, while primary schools lack about 100 rooms.

“Mr. Hem Ham Khuon added that at primary schools, there are not so many problems, as the Japanese government helped to build 11 buildings with 224 classrooms in 2005 and in 2007. In 2010, the Japanese government plans to help to construct 7 more buildings with 96 classrooms, spending approximately US$5,330,000 for 7 primary schools in Phnom Penh.

“Mr. Em Ham Khuon went on to say that the shortage of classrooms at the secondary level results from the increasing number of students, and it is also because most lower secondary schools are located together with primary schools, and some high schools were formed through the expansion of lower secondary schools.

“The lack of classrooms gravely affects the students’ education.

“Mr. Em Ham Khuon said that due to the lack of classrooms, some schools are forced to put up to 50 or 60 students into one classroom, beyond the standard number students in one classroom set by the Ministry of Education at 40 to 45 students. That means students have to be squeezed into the rooms. At some schools, there are three shifts per day: the first shift from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; the second shift from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; and the third shift from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. He emphasized that the lack of classrooms affects also the curriculum of the Ministry of Education. According to the curriculum of the Ministry, in one week, there should be 34 to 36 sessions [with 45 minutes per session], but at present, due to the lack of classrooms, at some schools, there are only 27 to 28 sessions, and each school has to encourage teachers to teach more to catch up with the curriculum of the Ministry.

“Educational analysts suggested that if the Ministry of Education does not solve the lack of classrooms soon, the quality of education will deteriorate, because there are up to 50 or 60 students in one classroom, leading to disorder and making it difficult for teachers to teach, and for students to gain knowledge. When some schools try to speed up teaching the students to catch up with the curriculum of the Ministry of Education, that leads to neglecting the quality of education – they just manage to catch up with the curriculum and do not care whether students can gain anything from it or not.

“Mr. Em Ham Khuon called on the leaders of the government, on national and international organizations, and on generous people to donate funds for the construction of school buildings, as long as there is a lack of classrooms, in order to help to foster the education for students as well as to achieve a better quality of education.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2129, 20-21.12.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 21 December 2009

Deum Tnot, Vol.2, #92, 21-22.12.2009

• Many Khmer Workers in Detention in Thailand Are Not as Lucky as Siwarak Chothipong, a Thai Citizen Accused [who was quickly pardoned by the Khmer King]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2129, 20-21.12.2009

• Phnom Penh Still Lacks School Buildings in 2010

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6836, 21.12.2009

• A UNESCO Delegation Visited the Preah Vihear Temple [to conduct more studies to restore and repair the ancient area of the temple, listed as a world heritage site]
• Six People Died and Four Were Injured in a Car Crash on National Road 6A [Kandal]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #71, 21.12.2009

• Human Rights Activists and Diplomats Criticized Cambodia for Deporting Uighur People [back to China; according to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, 20 of them were sent back at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday 19 December 2009 from [the military section of] Phnom Penh International Airport to China; the head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Mr. Ou Vireak, and the spokesperson of the UNHCR, Mr. Kitty McKinsey, said that the deportation violates the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, to which Cambodia has signed on]
• The Poipet Authorities Rejected to Provide Shelter for [24] Khmer Kampuchea Krom People [they had been sent from Thailand; the Poipet governor said that those people were identified as originating from Kompong Chhnang, Prey Veng, and Takeo, and therefore they can just return to their home towns and villages]

Rasmei Angkor, Vol.16, #1482, 21.12.2009

• [The former Thai prime minister, after prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted] Surayud Chulanont Wants to Be a Mediator for Negotiations between [Thai ousted and fugitive prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra and [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit Vijjajiva

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5078, 20-21.12.2009

• Cambodia Decided to Deport Chinese Ethnic Uighurs
• Belgium Provided [US$715,468] Funds for Mine Clearance in Cambodia
• Europe Grants US$1.3 Million Additionally for Human Rights in Cambodia
• [The European Union ambassador and head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand] David Lipman: The Rule of Law in Cambodia Is Advancing
• The first [H5N1] Bird Flu Patient in 2009 Was Confirmed [by now, there are 9 cases since 2005 in Cambodia]
• A Document Disclosed that Thailand Planned to Use Military Force against Cambodia [according to the claim of a member of the opposition Puea Thai Party interviewed by The Nation – while the government claims that the plan has been distorted by the member of the opposition party who “disclosed” it]

Sereypheap Thmey, Vol.17, #1847, 21.12.2009

• [Sam Rainsy Party spokesperson and parliamentarian] Mr. Yim Sovann Asked the Government of the Cambodian People’s Party to Implement the Immigration Law Properly
• [The head of the Cambodian Free Trade Union of Workers] Chea Mony Asked the Siamese [Thai] King to Pardon Khmer Workers Being Detained in Thailand

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