After Cambodia’s education was devastated by war, Cambodia’s education system often failed to provide rural students with skills, school buildings, equipement and knowledge they need. By the way, the government’s education sector program is to achieve universal enrollment and completion of primary education and expand access to and completion of lower secondary schooling and to improve all nine years of basic education.
Currently, local newspapers reported student guardians complainted that teachers required students to pay 2000 riel each during second examination (grade 9) for 2 days at secondary school Hun Sen Borei 100, located in Sang Kat Teurk Thla, Khna Reseykeo. The source added that each student were threatened not to see examination sheets if they did not pay teachers for cheating. The same sourced said that most of students are poor. By the way some of whom have not enough money to bribe their teachers, they cried for help from their parents to seek money for giving to teachers at least 1000 riel of the limited amount.
It was seen that corruption in the edcuation system serves as an illustration of the general problem. Corrupt payment are made when a child is enrolled in school, and when student have tests to sit. Payment may influence marks. Teachers sell snacks and drinks that parents feel obliged to have their children bought to avoid discrimination. Teachers are supplement their income by covering the official curriculum in the private lessons after school hours.
According to World Bank’s report on “World Bank Group in Cambodia” in July 2005, for the poor, in particular, the private cost of schooing (transport, pocket-money, fee both formal and informal, supplementary turtoring) may be prohibitive. Supplementary turtoring, which can consist of the same teacher lecturing the same pupils in the same seats on the core curriculum for private fee outside school hours is also touched on in the World Bank discussion on corruption. The report added that school incentive scheme that provide cash or in-kind subsidies to poor children and were conditional on school attendence might encourage early enrollment and reduce dropout rate.
On the other hand, the quality of teacher is a key to retaining children in primary school.
In fact, nearly almost primary school and secondary school, students have to buy lessons, questions for test, snacks and so on. At the time, I raised my nephew’s case. My nephew always pays his teacher monthly grade book at 500 riel, force him to buy sweat, cake…etc. If he did not buy or pay for teacher, his teacher intimidated him. Those issues are fearing pupils and are negative sign for young generation.
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Dear Vutha,
I am really appreciate your blogge, especially article of Corrupt in Public School.
Personally, it is an unacceptable habit entrenched in our country`s accademic life that may lead to devaste the whole society.However, this article mirrors only a corner of educational society, that is, only in Phnom Penh. Teachers in provinces impossibly do that due to his morralty as well as he standard of living. If we try to make analysis on the issue, we can see that the salary of teacher is very low that they can not survive with such a salary. If they corrupt , that is to survive only. If you were to look to govermnet and judiciary officials , you can see that they are more corrupted than those poor teachers. They have a expensive houses and cars; they possibly send their children abroad. Neither has world bank or other international organization made any corrupted assessment or critics on such an unforgivable persone.Why ? Becasause they are more or extremely powerful than those innocent teacher. Who should be blamed? Teachears, Goverment , Society . At last, I would like to say that the carrier of teacher should be more respected. Thank You.