Rong Chhun asks Kol Pheng to take measures against the use of school ground to hold campaign election by the CPP

Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata posted at Ki-Media

Rong Chhun (pictured), President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), asked Kol Pheng, the minister of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) to take measure against all school administrators who use the school ground to campaign for a political party. The Mekong Times reported about an open letter sent by Rong Chhun to Kol Pheng on Thursday 12 June, in which he indicated that “As elections approach, high school management are using their positions to threaten and intimidate students and teachers to support their party and are using school premises to hold party meetings.” Rong Chhun added that this action is a violation of the freedom rights of teachers and students to make their choice, and that this a illegal. Rong Chhun’s letter also stated such illegal actions took place in Touk Meas High School, Kampot province, where administrative hours was spent holding a meeting for the CPP, at the Samaki High Schools in Kampong Chhnang, where the principals and the school management threatened students that they will not pass their exams if the did not vote for the CPP. The Mekong Times reported that it could not reach Kol Pheng to obtain a clarification on this issue, but Chea Sè, MoEYS under secretary of state, admitted that political campaigning in schools indeed took place, and that there is nothing the ministry can do. He told The Mekong Times that if civil servants do not join a political party [the CPP in this case], they do not receive finance, and that if teachers do not join the CPP, they would not be given teaching hours. He said that in reality, teachers and civil servants do not want to join a party, but they join the party to survive only.