[1]
(1) Decentralization and de-concentration to improve efficiency of service delivery to people
I would like to thank development partners, both foreign and domestic, for participating in thinking and discussing more solutions to ensure better service delivery to the people, especially at the grassroots level, the main purpose of decentralization and decentralization […] Before we begin, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that 55 years ago today, on March 18, 1970, there was an event in our history that pushed the country into the flames of war. Today, 55 years later, we sit here in peace, discussing how to work together to better serve the people […] We are (leading) the country with confidence in peace (and) celebrating the achievements that Cambodia, national and international development partners, and the people have scored by jointly building the country through decentralization and decentralization by strengthening subnational democracy and sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development […]
[2]
(2) Improve the subnational/local administration model to meet the needs and human resource capacity
The governor of Kampong Trabek district raised (this issue about the model of subnational/local administration). District administrations are also different. For example, Kampong Trabek district is larger even than Kep province. If we prepare the number of officials and the management (method the same way), it will not be possible to respond to the different demands, however, we cannot do everything at the same time too. We can take a step by choosing provinces (with) potential, such as large provinces or Phnom Penh (to implement first). We have (a population of) 17 million, and in Phnom Penh alone, there are more than 10% of the total population. So, the response to the people’s requests must be many. Another thing, we see that Phnom Penh has more human resources with potential than in other provinces. Therefore, (it is necessary) to prepare and improve it to meet the needs of services as well as the ability to build human resources here and in some provincial capitals, especially provinces with significant potential […] as a model to be implemented and replicated to other provinces, as stated in the National Development Program in Phase II for the 2021-2030 Plan […]
[3]
(3) Spending much on staff, there is less money for investment in other areas
The head of Sokdom Sangkat has requested that we increase the budget to the grassroots. We have in fact done this step by step. However, increasing the budget alone is not enough. We need to do something to ensure the local officials management. This staff burden management must be done properly. If we spend too much on staff, it means that the money for investment in other areas will be less. Therefore, the management and recruitment of staff must firstly make the work more efficient by ensuring accountability, transparency, and the work right, and secondly, ensure the management of quantity and quality of officials based on the ability of the officials, meaning that there are an appropriate number of officials and they work efficiently.
() Appropriate number of staff and the budget is large, it will motivate officials, provides training, as well as ensure effective investment
If there are many staff, the budget to be shared will be less. If we have the appropriate number of officials, according to the size of the work, the budget we allocate can go to strengthening the existing officials, plus there would be a remaining budget for general investment. This is the task of administrative reform and public service reform in this mandate […] to conduct evaluation, reviewing, and analyzing functions […] If the budget increases but the number of people increases too, dividing it by that number will still get the same size. But if the number is appropriate and the budget is large, it will lead to motivating officials, training, as well as ensuring more effective investment […]
(6) Determining where excess or shortage exists, and transfer of officials must be managed
I would like to have a system for examining contract officials. In the past, we gave the provinces the right to select/recruit contract officials […] It cannot be said to be perfect on all counts, but there has to be training, professional strengthening, and assigning tasks to the target. In filling the required number of officials, firstly, we must study the possibilities in the administration where there were excesses or shortages. How to fill each other. Secondly, the management of transferring officials […] Please be responsible and clearly manage the sub-national administration, especially the two important sectors – medical staff in health centers and teachers […]
(7) “Select the right ones, fill in correctly, keep them on the job”
Other professions are also affected, but for doctors in health centers and teachers, they affect many people. If schools lack teachers, the quality of education for hundreds of thousands of students each year becomes a problem […] The district governor spoke about the lack of officials and teachers. This lack is a challenge, but the filling must also ensure sustainability. Otherwise, it is (a problem) relating to management. Please let the Ministry of Public Service, the Interior, and relevant ministries/institutions do the work on how do we “select the right ones, fill them correctly, and keep them on the job” […]
(8) Considering medals for contract officials/teachers
Regarding the fulfillment of contract teachers. Firstly, the encouragement of officials. In the past, contract teachers could not receive medals. The best they would get would be a letter of commendation. In this case, I suggest the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers – His Excellency Vongsey Vissoth, look into the matter […] Contract officials and contract teachers should be entitled to medals as well because teaching these students, in case of teachers, helps society a lot […] I am instructing the Council of Ministers the principle to figure out how both contract teachers and contract teachers are to receive medals for participating in building and developing the nation […]
(9) Contract teachers with qualifications to take up training for framework entitlement
Secondly, the enlisting of contract teachers into the framework. At the closing ceremony of the Ministry of Education, (Youth and Sports) I also gave this principle […] and a consideration of two obligations. One obligation is to provide opportunities for voluntary teachers. Another long-term obligation is to ensure the quality of education […] If regular teacher trainees study pedagogy according to the 12+4 formula […] the volunteer or contract teachers who have had three years or more teaching experience […] should be allowed to (gain the framework entitlement) […] by going to this training course, which could be shortened to two years, or half (the full-time course) so that when they finish their studies, they can be entitled to the framework […]
(10) Framework entitlement consideration in places with severe shortage of teachers
I gave the principle of allowing (framework entitlement) consideration in places with a severe shortage (of teachers), especially in the secondary school teachers. In making a contract with a qualified teacher who has retired […] as the new fully trained teachers have not arrived yet […] we should open the door for a short period of time – either one or two years, but not permanently […] There has been concern that if we do it this way, there would not be opportunities for the newly trained teachers […] in Phnom Penh there is always an excess of teachers, but in the suburbs, there may be a shortage […] teachers with a bachelor’s degree can teach children […] whereas in some places, they want to build high schools but they could not do that. There is money and land to build schools, but there are no teachers […] the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports should look into this matter […]
(11) Where a newly trained teacher is ready, s/he must be given priority
Please note that we only fill them in places where there is a real shortage. If there is a place where a new teacher is ready and can go, the teacher must be given priority. If not, we must solve it by hiring contract teachers. In some provinces, we have places where people want to create high schools because students had to travel 20 or even 30 kilometers (to school), and in some places, students have to drop out. If we create a secondary school, there must be teachers. Sometimes, a teacher who taught in Phnom Penh retired, but he is still healthy, has good qualifications, and is skillful, and retreated from Phnom Penh to live near the study area, we could contract him/her […] We give priority to two sectors – education (and health). (In the education sector, it is) only for teachers, not for office staff […] Please fill them in correctly […]
(12) Let’s find a formula for transfer of teachers after it has been on hold for a while
Regarding transfer of teachers, please check/prepare a formula because up to now this option has been put on hold for a while. But for the time to come, let us find formulas, so that transfer of teachers would be possible at a certain level and that can guarantee the quantity, allowing for some transfer. Like at EDC (Electricite du Cambodge), they have a formula that takes one in for one out. If you want to transfer from one province to another, you have to find someone in that province to transfer to your place […] we can look at formula that might allow it. Most teachers ask to come with their husbands or wives/spouses […] If you are from Phnom Penh, going to the provinces would be encouraged. Go to the place where there is a shortage (of teachers). In filling the positions, please try to use all your abilities because training human resources is difficult. For primary teachers, kindergarten teachers might be easier […]
(13) The district is the main actor, the commanding office for the department
Regarding officials in the district administration, I see a similar pattern […] the district is the main actor, the commanding office for the department, and there are 14 specialized offices there. If it is not possible to fill all the specialized offices at once. I would suggest that we take the specialized offices for the ministries and key institutions such as agriculture, education, and health as a step. Please consider that case because we are filling them in a haphazard manner. We do not have enough. So, take those who have roles in the relevant offices […] I agree on the review of strengthening the capacity and role of the district as the frontline specialized headquarters because (if this task were left to the communes) it would be difficult (to manage) as they have to go through various elections. We can manage to train and fill the district officials, especially review the specialized offices step by step […]
[4]
(14) Pension for subnational administration councilors; allowances for village leadership and maternity benefits for female council members
This issue (of increasing financial resources for sub-national administrations) would involve three target groups. The first target group is members of the sub-national administration councils […] Generally, we don’t have a pension. I talked to the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Akka Pundit Sapheacha Aun Pornmoniroth, Minister of Economy and Finance of Cambodia, and the ministry has also considered a step about the sub-national administration councils that have been elected for three terms or more. In this regard, they have to work hard to serve the people […]
Regarding (the target group 2), increasing the allowance for village leaders. We have continued on improving this allowance and it has increased to more than 400,000 riels […] the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Akka Pundit Sapheacha Aun Pornmoniroth is considering increasing it to an extent according to the budget possibilities […] We have a council, we have a village head, a village deputy-head, and a village member. There are three of them. In the past, on March 22, 2024, I issued a sub-decree expanding the scope of providing the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to the capital, provincial, city, district, commune, sangkat, village head, sub-village, village members […]
And regarding (the target group 3), maternity leave and benefits for female council members. I talked to the Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Akka Pundit Sapheacha Aun Pornmoniroth and decided that we have the possibilities (to cover that). Let us act on it. Hopefully it can be implemented in 2025 or early 2026 […]./.
(15) The transfer of power to sub-national administrations comes with responsibility
At the same time, I would like to remind the Governors of the capital, provinces, cities, districts, and khans that the transfer of power to sub-national administrations also means the transfer of responsibility to sub-national administrations, and the sub-national administrations must be accountable to their local citizens and to the Royal Government. In this sense, the greater the authority, the greater the responsibility.
Fourth, to ensure the realism and high efficiency of the continued implementation of the national program for the continued development of democratic development at the sub-national level in the second phase, 2021-2030, I request the National Committee for Subnational Democratic Development (NCSDD) to consider ways to implement some of the more complex reform tasks by preparing a pilot project. Based on the experience and success of this pilot project, the reform can be expanded/replicated to the entire country./.