Unofficial Translation

Selected Comments at the Graduation Ceremony at NGKA

29 May 08

No Achievements Achieved with Opposition

… It has been so absurd that some made comments that the Prime Minister never talk about jobs when he presided over the graduation ceremony. How could they be so silly? What could they expect when the men are not trained or educated? What can they do? It is important first to have them educated or trained. When the Royal Government is working hard to create job opportunity for the people and graduates, the oppositions are trying to discourage and even destroying the efforts. One can say that as of now there is no achievement on the Cambodian land that is born out of participation and contribution by the oppositions.

50% Yes, 25% Probably Yes

… In every meeting for donation that helps rebuild the country, there was not a single time that the opposition collaborates. They always suggest to donors to cut aid to the country and there would not be a sense of encouragement from them at all. This is the poll results that IRI has released. In its meeting to share the poll result with HE Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister, IRI representative, also in the presence of USAID, informed us that 50% said yes to vote for CPP, 25% said probably yes and the number together makes 75%. As for the "Probably Yes" category, it would be good if we could have all, but 10% of the suggested number is also not bad

… In response to the question "if the Royal Government is on the right track," in August 2006, 60% said yes; in January 2007, 71% said yes; August 2007, 75% said yes and February 2008, 77% said yes. The trend is picking up its curve all along. As for the question if they vote for CPP, in January 2007, 41% said yes and 36% said probably yes; in August 2007, 42% said yes and 29% said probably yes, and in February 2008, 50% said yes and 25% said probably yes. In fact IRI does not release the result because they are worried of other parties’ (reactions). Whatever it is I would urge the CPP members to continue to work toward the elections as we do not depend on IRI for our victory.

From Primary School and Junior College to Senior College Teachers

… I have a topic that needs to be discussed and it is good to talk in the presence of the leaders of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports here today. Early this month, I received a proposal from the teachers of the Primary Education level requesting to transfer their payroll to the level of senior college teachers. I approved. On May 12, I recommended to organize an exam without any restriction of ages for examination takers. Some of them have already exceeded the limit of 45 years old already.

… Mr. Um Hoeung, Head of the Phnom Penh Education, Youth and Sports committee said to me that some primary school teachers also have got their bachelors. I instructed that all teachers or teaching staff of both primary and junior college are permitted to take exams in order to get transference to senior college teachers. HE Kol Pheng came to me with a figure that we have 58,776 primary education teachers and 43,000 of them have yet achieved the senior college diploma.

Exam for All, Continuing Education and Salary Level Adjustment

… We have a special education system in Cambodia. After the genocide we had the ten-year education system in which to complete senior college, we then extend it to eleven years in 1993 ad 12 years thereafter. What remains to be solved is for those who have not got senior college diploma and the way to do it is to help them in some way to get an equivalent diploma so that they could go on.

This will eventually help our teachers (1) to go on to the tertiary education, and (2) to allow them to adjust their salary level. In the course of allowing for this kind of exam, we should also allow staffs from all Ministries to take as well, not only those in the teaching career... In the time of the State of Cambodia, we had reserved the Yukunthor School as a complementary education for Government officials/staffs as well as those from provinces. They should learn about the country's situation well before making remark on education in Cambodia.../.

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