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(1) First Time Visiting “Tang Kouk,” Kampong Thom Province
Thank you for the warm welcome. This morning, upon arriving, I met with the aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters of Tang Kouk. Thank you for the kiss this morning—it felt like an instant energy boost! […] The other day, when I went to distribute rice seeds in Battambang, the elders there also said I looked very young. But then, a young woman came up and asked to take a picture with “Grandpa.” That was it for me! To all the children, especially the students, you can call me whatever you like, just please don’t call me “Grandpa”—”Uncle” is perfectly fine. By Khmer count, I am entering my 50s now… When I was in my late 30s, people calling me old didn’t matter because I was still young. But now, I’ve reached half a century. Just joking. Regardless, we see that today’s gathering is to celebrate the achievements of development. This is my very first time coming into Tang Kouk. I have traveled along this road and passed by many places many times, but this is the first time I have entered this high school to inaugurate it and witness all these achievements.
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(2) Benefits from Schools are Human Resources and a Lifelong Foundation
Just now, after cutting the ribbon, I saw and listened to a direct briefing regarding the quality of the buildings. I would like to express my praise. This is a new standard where the school utilizes actual marble, which is a domestically produced product. Marble from Kratie and other regions that we brought here to build with is of high quality. We paid strict attention to constructing them to be robust because we do not build schools for just a single day or a single year. School structures are a vital infrastructure of the education sector, and as such, they must guarantee safety, comfort, and long-term durability. What the school provides as an output is even more long-term and far more important: human resources. Those who study here, whether at the lower secondary or high school level, will become the human resources that serve as national assets across the country. You children study until graduating from here, taking 17 or 18 years in total. Even if we count just the 6 years from grade 7 to grade 12 spent here, the benefits you gain from this place will serve as your lifelong foundation.
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(3) Not Just Students and Buildings, Teachers are the Key Pillar of the School
Today at Treal High School, Tang Kouk, Kampong Thom Province, we witness the achievement of 5 school buildings. Just over a week ago, I received a letter from Neak Oknha Vinh Hour, a member of the Oknha Association and also a representative of the Cement Industry Association, who submitted a proposal to me. The Cement Industry Association will contribute an additional residential building for teachers at this Treal High School to help resolve accommodation difficulties, providing $100,000 in funding for this construction. Normally, a school initiates such a request, so I instructed His Excellency the Governor to have the province prepare and sign off on the request to send up to me. I have signed my approval to hand it over to the volunteering builders […] This is a proactive solution. Beyond providing residential buildings for teachers, it means looking closer to see what is missing and understanding the difficulties our teachers face. After all, a school does not just consist of students and buildings—teachers are the key pillar. Fostering a supportive environment, creating opportunities, and facilitating comfortable living conditions for our teachers, especially those from far away or from other provinces who must fulfill their duties here, is absolutely essential.
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(4) Kampong Thom is One of the 10 Provinces Prioritized to Implement the School Nutrition Program
Regarding school nutrition, Kampong Thom is one of the 10 priority provinces where we have implemented this program. This initiative began back in 1999. At that time, the World Food Program (WFP) collaborated with the Royal Government to launch nutrition support for children in 64 schools across the nation, targeting vulnerable and impoverished communities. Adequate nutrition is a critical factor in supporting student health, including brain development for effective learning.
(5) School Nutrition Program Expands to 1,114 Schools, Benefiting 300,000 Students in 2026
By this year, 2026, the program has grown to cover 1,114 schools. This is a substantial increase from the original 64 schools, directly benefiting 300,000 students. We have implemented a strategy to purchase agricultural products directly from within the local communities. This method provides a double benefit. First, it injects funds directly into the local economy to support local farmers who supply vegetables and meat within their own communities. The money spent on these goods circulates locally as farmers reinvest their earnings into other areas. Thus, the money stimulates the economy while the ultimate benefits go straight to the students. Of course, we do not yet have the capacity to cover all of the more than 7,000 primary schools nationwide, but we are actively reviewing our capacity for further expansion.
(6) World Food Program Sponsors 280 Schools; State Funds Over 800 Schools
In our initial phase, we have expanded state responsibility. Currently, the World Food Program funds over 280 schools, while our government budget covers the remaining 800-plus schools. Within the next two years, the World Food Program will reduce its funding and phase out its assistance for those 200-plus schools to redirect its resources elsewhere. What will the Royal Government do then? Will we abandon them or scale back? Absolutely not. We will absorb responsibility for those 200-plus schools to ensure that all 1,000-plus schools continue to operate smoothly. Furthermore, we are currently studying ways to expand this capacity even further.
(7) At Ages 5-6 to Over 10 Years Old, Children Need Essential Nutrition as a Foundation for Health and Educational Opportunities
This is an investment in education. We are not just constructing buildings, conducting training, increasing teacher capacity, and providing materials and equipment. We are also focusing specifically on student nutrition at the primary level, which is a vital stage. From the ages of 5 or 6 up to over 10 years old—while studying from grades 1 to 6—you children fully require nutritional support because it serves as the ultimate foundation for both your health and your educational opportunities. Among those 1,114 schools, Kampong Thom Province has received support for 219 schools across 7 districts. Tang Kouk does not seem to have any yet, but other districts have received them. We will examine the feasibility of expanding this student nutrition program in the future to various schools, especially within vulnerable and impoverished communities.
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(8) A Major Barrier to Education for Cambodian Citizens Was the Shortage of Schools
As we can clearly see, a major barrier to education for Cambodian citizens in the past was the shortage of schools. We did not just lack classrooms; we lacked school locations entirely. If Your Excellencies, Lok Chumteav, ladies, gentlemen, aunts, uncles, and compatriots have listened to the history of Samdech Techo—especially the story of “The Son Under the Full Moon”—you would probably know. Before the war, in order to pursue an education, some children had to become ordained monks to study, and some young boys had to leave their hometowns. This was the exact experience of my father, Samdech Techo. Meanwhile, my aunts did not get to study at all. Today, we see more female students than male students passing the Bac II (High School Exam) here, but without a school nearby in the past, it was incredibly difficult. Boys could go stay at a pagoda, and those with relatives in Phnom Penh could manage to go stay there… but for those without relatives, mothers would never allow their daughters to travel far. Consequently, comprehensive education for everyone was impossible, no matter how much people wanted it. Even for the boys who ordained at pagodas to get an education, it only took them to a certain level.
(9) After Ending the War Through the Win-Win Policy, Developing Education by Distributing Schools Nationwide
This is one of the primary reasons that drove Samdech Techo to conceptualize and execute an education policy aimed at “preventing the next generations of children from facing the same hardships as his generation.” For this reason, following the war from the early 1990s onward, and especially after ending the war completely through the Win-Win Policy, Samdech Techo introduced a policy to develop the education sector by focusing on distributing schools all across the nation. It is precisely because of that policy that we have these educational developments today and have schools right here. Speaking of our 1,652 communes and quarters, we have at least one primary school in every single commune and quarter. Some communes and quarters have more than one; while we only have 1,652 communes and quarters, we have over 7,000 primary schools. In round numbers, we have built lower secondary schools in roughly 95% of communes across the country. Within these 1,652 communes and quarters, several actually have more than one lower secondary school.
(10) Due to a Growing Population, Continuing to Urgently Expand Additional School Buildings and High Schools as a Priority
I asked His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron why the remaining lower secondary schools have not been built yet, or what the expansion plans are. Currently, we have 106 communes and quarters nationwide that still do not have a lower secondary school. According to reports, some areas do not actually require a separate lower secondary school. For example, 46 quarters in Phnom Penh do not need lower secondary schools because they already have other accessible options. Every district and city has a high school. However, our population is growing rapidly now; Cambodian people are having many children. Previously, our push was to distribute schools and classrooms everywhere, but now, individual locations are experiencing high enrollment and lack enough classrooms. Additionally, some locations are just too far away. I met some students at Phnom Kulen. Students would finish lower secondary school near their village, but they would drop out when it came to high school because some had to travel 20 kilometers. Others had to rent a room near the school, and those without money simply could not afford the rent. It is based on these exact reasons that we are continuing to urgently push for the expansion of additional high schools as a core priority.
(11) Private Schools Booming in Urban Areas Allows the State to Focus Attention on Rural Areas
Accessibility to learning through the availability of schools is our guiding principle. Currently, we have active participation from the private sector. Private schools are booming, especially in urban areas. This enables us to concentrate our focus on rural areas. Following the end of the war, new locations have continuously developed across the country. In some areas, we have established entirely new villages for war refugees, and in others, through LASED projects and veteran villages. We are initiating new projects. For citizens who lack housing, we provide land, we provide homes, and we build schools for them. When I visited the refugee camps the other day in Oddar Meanchey and Sra Keo, I saw many young children. All of them need an education. This means our new villages must reach those locations. We cannot expect them to travel many kilometers from their homes to get an education. We must establish additional new schools.
(12) Classroom Growth Rates Lag Behind Population Growth and Geographic Expansion
We continue to push forward with construction and establish new achievements to ensure educational accessibility. Some areas already have facilities in place, while others face serious challenges due to a shortage of classrooms or a lack of teachers. Some classrooms have up to 80 students in a single class. Effective learning cannot happen under those conditions. Learning might technically occur, but the quality drops significantly. In some places, it might even exceed that number. In certain temporary shelter schools, there are over 100 students packed together. Over many legislative mandates, Samdech Techo has constructed thousands of school buildings across the country. The Ministry of Education has also set out policies to collaborate with partner organizations. Thousands of buildings have been constructed, but the speed of classroom growth still lags behind the rate of population growth and geographic expansion. Therefore, as a clear goal, we must continue to map out locations, set up classrooms, and train more teachers. This is our concrete objective for building and developing the education sector directly on the ground. We are not just planning expansions on paper; we are doing this continuously, building infrastructure, and strengthening the quality of both teachers and education.
(13) Schools and Classrooms Are Just Parts of Delivering Education; The Core Assets Are Teachers and Students
It can be said that at this Tang Kouk school, if the teachers have been teaching here since 1979, they have likely witnessed massive transformations. Just looking at the photos of the 5 schools over there, we can see that they used to be wooden buildings, which were later dismantled to build one-story concrete structures, though not yet modern. Now, we have come to a stage where actual marble and proper blackboards are used. When a structure reaches a certain stage, becomes old, and begins to deteriorate, we start building new ones to a very high standard. This is what development looks like. The location remains the same and the training continues, but what has changed is our capability to equip and build further. Schools and classrooms are just one component of delivering educational services. The core assets are the teachers and the students […] If you have these two elements, learning can happen even under a tree. But if you lack these two forces—if they do not move forward, lack quality, lack will, lack discipline, and lack a shared vision for education—then even if you have a 10-story building, no one will study there. You might have a 10-story building, but within a year it will fall into ruin because there is no maintenance and no one using it.
(14) From “The Knowledgeable Teach the Untaught” to Primary Teachers Holding Bachelor’s Degrees
Therefore, the key factor lies entirely with the teachers and the students. What must we do? We need active participation from parents and communities to support teachers and students, as they are the vital primary factor. Teacher quality is a critical mission. The Ministry of Education has already implemented many guidelines. Moving forward, the objective for a primary school teacher is a 12+4 educational background, meaning they must hold a Bachelor’s degree. Previously, coming out of the Pol Pot regime, we had no teachers. We implemented the approach of “the knowledgeable teach the untaught, and those with more knowledge teach those with less” to buy time while we built up quality. Later on, we had primary school teachers with 12+2 training. We utilized teachers from 7+3, 4+3, or just up to grade 10; whatever we had, we used to teach. Now, a Bachelor’s degree is required. A teacher’s qualifications equal quality. Parents at home rely on teachers to educate their children. Teachers must be highly capable. At this juncture, we have successfully developed human resources who can graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, pass the Bac II exam, pass the entrance exam to become teachers, study pedagogy for 4 years, and complete further training to become qualified teachers.
(15) The Royal Government Directs Funding into Education, Increasing Participation, Boosting Innovation, and Strengthening Teachers at Every Level
I once discussed this with some researchers. I asked, “Out of the 10,000 schools we have, including universities, which level is the most important?” Some argued that higher education is the most important for grasping advanced technology. Others said high school is critical because it is the final stage before branching off to university. Some said lower secondary school, some said primary, and some said kindergarten. For me, I believe every single level is important; you cannot neglect any stage when it comes to developing human resources, though the development approach varies. The Royal Government directs funding into education, increasing community participation, boosting innovation, and strengthening teachers at every level. However, we must further reinforce our pillars based on what can be achieved, strengthening whichever area we can. A solid 12-year education? Studying firmly from primary school all the way through to grade 12 […] It is said that during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era and the pre-war period, reaching or finishing just grade 12 meant you were practically ready for employment […] What matters most is not just the passing rate, but that this 12-year education ensures students graduate with adequate capabilities to successfully enter the workforce. Today, we are striving toward that exact same goal.
(16) Wanting Cambodian Youth to Graduate 12 Years of Schooling and Broadly Reinforcing this 12-Year Education
Reinforcing this 12-year education model is vital. If children drop out or cannot graduate comprehensively from the time when they enter primary school until they reach lower secondary school, how can we even talk about higher education? If schools are not fully accessible, out of every 100 students, perhaps only 60 can manage to study until graduating high school. This means the other 40 students lose out on opportunities to continue their education and are done. For example, if we achieve a 75% rate for lower secondary education, it means 25% of students only attain a primary school education. How many people does that 25% represent out of a population of 200,000 every single year? And those 200,000 people will have to live their entire lives with only a grade 6 level of literacy and education. How can we help them? Of course, they might have opportunities to learn additional skills or pick up other jobs later, but what we truly want is for them to possess the capacity to study for the full 12 years, and to broadly reinforce this 12-year education across the board.
(17) Because Educational Volume and Quality Depend on Time and Total Schooling Years, the Duration of Schooling Was Increased from 10 to 12 Years
This is a policy that the Royal Government has consistently pursued since 1979. Originally, our education system only went up to grade 10. Back when I was studying for my Bac II exam, we only had up to grade 10. Reaching grade 10 meant completing the high school diploma. In 1990, I entered high school. At that time, the educational system was raised to 11 or 12 years from the previous 10-year limit. Because the overall volume and quality of knowledge depend heavily on time and the cumulative years of learning, we pushed for this extension […] 12 years is perfectly sufficient. Back when I was in school, it felt like there was a 13th year because they had a “preparatory class” before entering university. Now, that is no longer the case; upon graduating, you can immediately continue your higher education, provided we ensure your knowledge is fully developed within those 12 years.
(18) Education Strategy Must Account for Distributing Schools and Reinforcing Study Hours
Building and expanding infrastructure to serve education is one priority, alongside training teachers and organizing students to enter school. Organizing students involves increasing their capacity, strengthening discipline, and fostering focus. Those of my generation who studied in the 1980s only had whatever notes we could copy down from the teacher’s blackboard. In the provinces, it was difficult because libraries did not even exist. In Phnom Penh, there might have been only 5 copies of a particular textbook for a pool of 300 students. No one could borrow them; we had no choice but to take notes, copy everything down, and memorize it by heart. Today, you children have access to plenty of books, including digital books. Sometimes, having too many options makes choices difficult too […] Educational choices must be coupled with strong willpower, sharpening our awareness of the true value of studying. Regarding our dedication to studying, we must deeply consider both the distribution of schools and the reinforcement of classroom hours.
(19) “Learning and Teaching an Extra Two Hours in the Afternoon Shift Without High Spending or Sophisticated Equipment to Boost Capacity …”
For locations that already have schools and teachers, we are adding extra study hours. We have piloted this approach and observed that schools offering 6 hours of learning across two shifts yield a significantly higher level of student comprehension and capability compared to those offering only 4 hours. His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron informed me that nationwide, we currently have only about 200 schools capable of implementing 4-hour baselines or models that add an extra two hours of learning in the afternoon. We have been piloting this “plus-two-hours” model in afternoon shifts at select formula-based and model schools to determine which framework is most appropriate to boost student capacity without requiring excessive budgets or advanced, expensive equipment. Instead, we use what is already available on the ground, simply restructuring the schedule so students can attend longer, which directly helps increase their absorption of knowledge.
(20) Biological Parents and Educators Alike Never Want to See Their Children or Students Fail Academically
Initially, look at the students who used to leave the house in the morning, eat lunch, and then spend their entire afternoon doing bicycle stunts until evening. This was an actual case I encountered at a school in Kampong Speu. A mother told me that every afternoon, her son would perform bike stunts on the street—and National Road 44 was newly built and very smooth. She was terrified a car would hit him […] When we introduced the extra 2-hour program, his mother didn’t even have to chase him; the boy transformed his own behavior. Upon arriving home, he would eat lunch, take a shower by 1:00 PM, and sit down waiting for his mother to bring him to school. He stopped doing bicycle stunts and shifted back into the classroom […] the boy attended school and his mindset completely transformed. By evening, his uncle could even help tutor him further. This comes down to the student’s initiative. Teachers participate in this, and the community begins to step in to provide extra support. No parents want their children to go astray. Whether it is your biological parents who gave you life, or your second parents who are your teachers, none of them want to see their children or students perform poorly in school […]
(21) Adding Extra Study Hours Allows Teachers Enough Time to Explain Lessons Thoroughly to Students
Similarly, no teachers are happy to see their school filled entirely with well-off students, only for half the school to fail when the high school national exams come around. This is something that both parents and teachers strongly support—pushing our students’ education upward. We are being creative with our available resources, and adding study hours is a key strategy, whereas previously we had to add entire years. When I was in secondary school, the path to the Bac II exam was only 10 years long. The government decided to extend it to 12 years because they understood the immense value of adding educational duration. When we add hours to the school day, teachers gain the time necessary to explain things thoroughly. Sometimes, a lesson that requires 8 hours to teach is forced into a 4-hour window. Teachers struggle to summarize it and don’t know what material to cut. But when given an extra two hours, bringing it to 6 hours, they can easily cover the material in detail. Occasionally, these trial extended hours serve as dedicated periods to go into fine details—acting as a substitute for private tutoring—so that students can simply stay and learn at school. In some locations, these extra hours are used for reinforcement; if a student didn’t fully grasp a concept taught by the teacher in the morning, they can come back in the afternoon to ask follow-up questions.
(22) “A Squad is Only as Fast as Its Slowest Member”
My key indicator is not just about adding hours for the sake of appearances. I need this to be evaluated for me. Is the overall student average at that school—including the weakest students—increasing or not? I want to focus on those who are struggling the most. A military maxim says: “A squad is only as fast as its slowest member” because members are not allowed to be separated from each other by more than 3 meters. If the gap exceeds 3 meters, the entire squad fails on the spot. Therefore, no matter what it takes, whether carrying or backpacking, members must help each other to maintain speed. It is the exact same dynamic in learning. Look at the grades of the weakest students to see if they are improving. That is the true definition of success. Exceptional students are already self-driven; when given extra opportunities, they will excel even further. But for the struggling students, we must find out exactly why they are falling behind.
(23) “Respectful Behavior, Shared Responsibility, Extended Learning Hours, and Matched Curriculums as Our Core Principles, Concepts, and Direction”
Looking across the 100-plus schools managed under the pilot committee […] to say nothing of their behavioral transformation. Previously, students would wake up disorganized and arrive at school without even combing their hair; now, before going to bed, these primary school children pack their schoolbags and get everything ready. Waking up in the morning to fold their own blankets has come as quite a pleasant surprise to their mothers. Arriving at school, teachers who used to feel shy about bowing and greeting one another now consider it completely natural. Displaying mutually respectful behavior, practicing personal responsibility, providing extended learning hours, and matching curriculums accordingly serve as our core principles, concepts, and direction for the future. We will expand this step by step […] ensuring that this 12-year education pathway provides the capacity for 6 hours of daily learning. We simply cannot expand to 10,000 schools all at once across lower secondary, high school, and primary levels.
(24) Setting a Vision Where 6-Hour School Days Scale from the Current 6% to Nationwide Coverage
We are working hard to address infrastructure, resolve teacher shortages, and properly structure training. We must establish this as our clear vision. This is no different from the period between 1998 and 2000, when Samdech Techo introduced the policy to distribute primary and lower secondary schools to every single commune. We set that vision over 20 years ago. Today, we have exceeded that targeted number. The critical task now is to project our vision forward from this moment, ensuring that schools offering 6 hours of learning can scale up from the current 6 percent to comprehensive nationwide coverage. This is a task that must be done. The Ministry of Education, in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, must plan and organize this to upgrade our school quality. In education, we must recognize that school quality relies roughly 80 percent on the combined caliber of teachers and students, while the remaining 20 percent is determined by the quality of educational infrastructure. Organizing ourselves to build this capacity requires active creativity during critical phases.
(25) “Since 1979, Building Concrete Schools Wherever Feasible … Ensuring Remote Schools Stand on Solid Infrastructure Standards”
The school here did not just start operating when we constructed these concrete buildings. Isn’t that right? It has been open ever since the post-1979 period. I am not entirely certain about its specific history. I do not know what remnants were left here. In some schools, nothing remained at all. In other places, wooden structures were assembled. Since 1979, whenever we gained the financial capacity, we upgraded them into concrete. For schools distributed across far-flung, remote rural areas, we built them to a highly respectable structural standard, though managed within a specific budget ceiling. We apply one tier for suburban schools and a higher tier for urban schools. This is strictly within the framework of public state schools. As for private schools—especially those built by the Oknha Association—I encourage them to build to a single uniform standard regardless of location. This is where resourceful adaptation comes into play.
(26) “A Nationwide Shortage of 10,000 Teachers Against an Annual Training Capacity of Just 3,000 …”
Our teachers face a similar situation. I asked about the numbers. His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron informed me that we face a nationwide shortage of approximately 10,000 teachers. Yet, we can only train 3,000 new teachers per year. Furthermore, within that pool of 10,000, we constantly lose people to retirement, career changes, and other factors. Therefore, if we continue using the exact same formula, trying to train 10,000 teachers a year would be incredibly difficult, especially when balancing instructional quality and other variables. We will fill these vacancies, but we must deploy alternative strategies. In the past, we piloted the utilization of contract teachers, using specific benchmarks during recruitment. We still maintain this practice today. Contracts are strictly performance-based, but we ensure higher benchmarks coupled with enhanced benefits for our educators. We will continue to test this model. There is absolutely no reason to fear experimentation. Standing completely still and refusing to adapt is what causes failure in this modern era.
(27) “Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Studying School Construction Ranging Between $50,000 to $60,000 Per Building …”
People used to say, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Just leave it as it is. If it has worked fine for 10 years, let it run for another 10 years. That approach does not work today. This is entirely different from ancient temples or historical conservation sites. Even for heritage houses in various countries—like those right here in Phnom Penh—the rule is to preserve the exterior while modernizing the interior […] We must study and find practical solutions. We cannot compromise on quality. Quality means we do not downgrade the structural integrity or swap out solid timber for inferior materials. Instead, it means we build the same robust structures but perhaps skip some of the premium finishes […] The other day, I visited a school in a war refugee village. I ordered plans to be drawn up. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is studying a new design for a single school building. We can construct a school building within a budget range of $50,000 to $60,000. It is built of brick with the exact same structural integrity, so how do the base standards differ? Our standard school buildings typically cost anywhere between $100,000 and $130,000 per building.
(28) Increasing the Number of Quality Rural Schools While Pausing Expenditures on Premium Aesthetics
Therefore, if we adopt this optimized building standard, the primary difference lies in specific architectural features […] we pour internal concrete slabs. We cast these internal slabs to insulate against the heat. However, in this newly proposed architectural model, we omit the poured concrete ceiling slabs. Instead, we install insulated corrugated roofing sheets equipped with internal foam padding to absorb the heat. This type of roofing is widely used abroad because it effectively reduces interior temperatures. Second, for schools located in the city or suburbs, we install roof tiles. But for far-flung rural schools, we will use this specialized insulated roofing instead. This saves significantly on the underlying structural frame. Even if the per-square-meter cost of tiles matches the cost of insulated roofing, tiles require a heavy steel support frame, which drives expenditures up. Insulated roofing sheets are lightweight. When it rains, it makes no loud noise. We ought to broadly expand this type of structural innovation. Therefore, I would like to declare this once again and ask for the understanding of all parents and guardians […] In the future, we may introduce a number of these standardized schools, particularly in rural areas, which must be expanded to a highly functional and appropriate quality, even if we must temporarily dial back on premium aesthetics like tiled roofs for the time being.
(29) Urban and Suburban/Town Schools Maintain Existing Standards; Remote Schools Use New Standards to Build More Facilities
Schools in urban and suburban areas, meaning town centers, will maintain the existing high structural standards. For remote areas, however, we must implement the newly proposed optimized standards first. If building a single premium facility costs between $100,000 and $130,000, but building a newly standardized school costs only $50,000 to $60,000, we can deploy two to four buildings instead—especially in newly established communities like war refugee villages. This is the school-distribution policy we are actively putting forward for the future. I warmly welcome and appeal for active participation from philanthropists and various communities; in some areas, local communities and resident philanthropists step in directly to help. For example, at the Prey Chhor school that will be inaugurated in the future, the philanthropists are former alumni of that school from Prey Chhor who have achieved high financial standing—such as Oknha Leang Khun and Oknha Leang Meng—and are returning to provide assistance there. Buildings in some locations also feature construction contributions from His Excellency Keut Rith. In this way, we are joining forces across the board to expand the infrastructure serving education. We must creatively optimize our national budget […] Naturally, partner organizations provide some assistance, but we are working hard to be creative and maintain self-reliance.
(30) “To Reinforce Science at Lower Secondary and High School Levels, the Foundation of Mathematics from Primary School Must Be Robust …”
Regarding the distribution of schools, based on my inspections in rural areas, some locations are facing issues. The fact that individual classrooms are overcrowded stems from two root causes: either a shortage of classrooms, a lack of teachers, or both, forcing large numbers of students into a single class. Some classrooms hold up to 80 students, and some have even more. To address this issue, the Ministry of Education has focused heavily on reinforcing science education, particularly at the lower secondary and high school levels. However, for lower secondary and high schools to successfully reinforce science, the foundation of mathematics built at the primary level must be robust. Without a rock-solid foundation, we will face immense difficulties later on. Trying to re-teach foundational concepts leaves no time to catch up later. It is a continuous chain connected right from early childhood. Therefore, the Ministry of Education must continue to rigorously develop new curricula, which His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron has continually adjusted following previous mandates—just as previous ministers, including His Excellency Im Sethy and others, have continuously adjusted them over time.
(31) “In a Fast-Changing World, Continuous Innovation is Essential to Progress …”
Only through continuous innovation can we achieve progress, particularly in the context of a rapidly shifting global landscape. Therefore, regarding this focus on reinforcing foundational learning, I stated the other day that we would add an extra 2 hours of study time and focus tightly on Khmer Literature and Mathematics. I noticed many online comments suggesting that English is also vital and needs more hours, and that Physics and Chemistry also need extra time—essentially arguing that almost every subject should be extended at the lower secondary and high school levels. But right now, we are talking about the primary school level. We only have 2 additional hours available. Foreign languages are certainly important. However, between a foreign language and the Khmer language, I believe we must prioritize Khmer, ensuring children get an abundant and solid foundation during those first 6 years. Foreign languages can be treated as secondary at this stage. Even though I went on to work in contexts requiring translation, when I graduated from grade 12, I actually did not know English. Before entering grade 12 back then, I had only studied it a tiny bit.
(32) Every Subject is Crucial, but Primary Level Must Maximize Mathematics and Khmer Literature
What I remember most vividly is my very first flight to the United States. I couldn’t even order food. They asked me if I wanted a certain dish or not. They didn’t just ask “Do you want this one?”; instead, they asked: “Don’t you want water?” They asked if I did not want water. I nodded my head. As a result, I had no water to drink the entire night! If they ask “Do you want water?” and you nod, they bring you water. But when they ask a negative question like “Don’t you want to drink water?” and you nod, it means you agree that you do not want it. But later we get the opportunity to learn […] My point is that while every subject is crucial, we must think very clearly about our core. At the primary school level, that core must be maximizing Mathematics and Khmer Literature. We can integrate a few language elements, but since we can only add 2 extra hours, let us wait until the lower secondary level to add more. We will have ample opportunity then. Foreign languages and digital literacy are not unimportant, but sequence matters.
(33) “In a Digital-Style Classroom, Students Learn Without Books … but if We Move Too Fast, We Risk Destabilizing the Foundation”
In this era, we must teach digital skills, but we must set crystal-clear boundaries on the extent of that learning. Let us not confuse learning a digital subject with learning inside a digital-style classroom. Those two concepts are completely distinct. In English, a digital class is different from a digital classroom. A class about digital subjects means learning computer skills—entering a class where they teach vital lessons on how to use computers, Microsoft Excel, and the like. But a digital-style classroom means that inside that room, students no longer use physical books at all; they walk in and use tablets […] At this current stage, I urge a very precise evaluation of this model. I have told both His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron and His Excellency Chea Vandeth that if we move too fast, we risk destabilizing the foundational basics. Digital elements are excellent, but there must be proper timing and an appropriate tier matching the students. Is it absolutely necessary for primary school students to use tablets and digital screens to learn? No, it is not.
(34) “As a Policy of the Royal Government … Students Must Learn Using Books, Especially at the Primary Level”
Learning must never discard the reading of physical books […] I ask everyone to maintain a strict focus on paper books and avoid substituting them with digital books, especially throughout these primary school years. Learning digital skills should be kept to an appropriate baseline tier—learning how to operate computers and Microsoft programs to support future learning and research—but do not introduce digital books for students to learn from all the way from grade 1 through grade 6. This stands as a firm policy of the Royal Government. I maintain that students must learn using physical books. Do not abandon books under any circumstance. Some might argue that this isn’t modern. I say modernity has its own correct timing. If we disrupt the fundamentals, we risk a “shaking top, collapsing bottom” scenario. Imagine if one day the internet crashes, the power goes out, everything is gone, and looking at a book, no one even knows how to read or use it anymore. We must be entirely clear on this. This is not just a random thought of ours. There is verified real-world experience from abroad. Today, more and more advanced nations are pivoting back toward the extensive use of physical books.
(35) “The First Country to Implement the Digital Classroom … Has Switched Back to Printing Books for Students to Read”
Just yesterday, I forwarded a link to His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron concerning Sweden. That country was the absolute pioneer, number one in the world, in transforming all its classrooms into digital classrooms. In their digital classrooms, they completely removed physical books and had students learn entirely from tablets. Now, they have halted their use in the classroom. They are spending millions of euros to reprint physical books and bring them back for students to read. Look at their real-world experience. Their country is incredibly advanced. This doesn’t mean digital technology is useless. Rather, it means it has its own appropriate time and place. Why did they switch back? First, they observed that when absolutely everything became digital, students’ reading comprehension significantly weakened. When comparing those who read physical books against those who read on the internet, readers of physical books display much deeper focus and concentration. The same applies to newspaper readers. We focus much more intently.
(36) Noted That Prolonged Internet Use Causes Reading Comprehension and Research Levels to Decline
On the internet, we look at something for a brief moment and then scroll up or down. As a first consequence, we skip a lot of content. Second, reading on the internet strains the eyes and negatively impacts memory retention. Studies show that over prolonged internet use, reading capacity declines and the depth of research deteriorates. When digital devices are used, students lose engagement. If given a book to read for an hour, covering 10 pages, we stay focused on those 10 pages. But if you hand a child a smartphone to read a 10-page article, within that same hour they might look at just one page while opening up other apps to play. Sometimes they do read, but the moment they spot a particular word, they hop over to Google and type it in to continue searching elsewhere. Consequently, those 10 pages never get completed. Focus and attention span on a task decrease. Furthermore, students are becoming weaker at independent research. In the past, people examined books to do research. Now, AI conducts all the research. In a moment, I will play an AI recording for you to listen to.
(37) Reading Sparks Creative Thinking and Opens Up Broad Perspectives …
Last evening, when it was taking too long to ask my assistant, I asked AI. The AI responded, and I cross-checked its answer with my assistant. Ultimately, there was another point where I wasn’t sure if it was right or wrong, so after looking at it briefly, I called the school principal and the teacher up. Is AI accurate? […] When we read books, we conduct genuine research. For example, when researching a topic, we type things out and read 10 different books; that is higher education level. Take Harvard University in the United States, which recently started scaling back digital dependency. Professors no longer accept student research or theses generated through Artificial Intelligence (AI). Why? Because when we research a topic by reading 10 books, the process of reading sparks creative thinking. We discover various perspectives and sometimes even pivot our entire thesis topic. But when conducting research via AI, you type only what you specifically want to find, and it provides nothing outside that narrow prompt; it delivers exactly what we ask for. It is convenient, brief, and fast, but the quality of research drops. This happens at the advanced level, and it is the same for young children. Children now worry less. They stop listening to the teacher, click record, and capture the audio instantly. Some programs even write it out for them. With AI today, it goes far beyond the old method of just recording the audio.
(38) Use AI as an Assistant; Do Not Let It Replace Teachers and Textbooks/Books
When I was studying in the United States before entering the military academy, because my English proficiency was not yet fully sufficient, I would audio-record a 40-minute class. After class, I had to sit down for 3 hours just to transcribe it […] Today, it is no longer like that. Students don’t have to do anything. They just tap an app, and as the teacher speaks, it summarizes the lesson instantly. This means they are no longer learning by themselves. They are relying on a computer to learn for them. They depend entirely on the machine. Consequently, the core capacity for learning declines. This is true for primary, lower secondary, and high school students alike. I ask that we map out the integration of digital tools step by step: what level is appropriate for lower secondary, what level for primary, what level for grades 1 to 4, and what level for grades 5 and 6? We should use AI to assist teachers and students, not to replace teachers and textbooks. Using it as a supplement to teachers and books is acceptable, but using it as a replacement is dangerous. It implies we no longer need teachers, and students will end up learning like they did during the COVID-19 pandemic—relying solely on videos and television. Whether students actually want to learn or not, they will just log hours to meet requirements and avoid failing. Parents will simply say, “At least my child went to school.” Meanwhile, the children are busy scrolling through TikTok and jumping around. What then happens to our educational quality?
(39) “Invest in Expanding the Teacher Workforce and Printing Textbooks, Rather Than Investing Solely in Screens with AI Serving as a Tutor”
When checking attendance, students are never absent. They are the first to arrive in the morning as role models. In the evening, they head straight home without sneaking over any fences. Yet, once inside the classroom during study hours, first, there is no teacher, and second, everything is digital. If we digitalize excessively, we eliminate the teacher. Putting internet connections everywhere does not work. Beyond core lessons, there must be a teacher and a physical book. Supplemental research tools can be utilized, but they must never serve as a replacement. It is dangerous. We lose the teacher. If we think doing this saves on teacher resources—no, it does not. It is far better to invest in expanding the teacher workforce and invest in printing physical textbooks for studying. That is targeted, purposeful investment, rather than investing strictly in screens that allow AI to act as a tutor or substitute teacher. That is unacceptable. At the university level, it is a different matter, but for our 12-year foundational schooling—primary, lower secondary, and high school—the core fundamentals must remain secure.
[The Prime Minister converses with the teachers]
(40) Teachers and Books Form the Bedrock of Education; Digital Tools Do Not Replace Teachers and Do Not Replace Books
Regarding our future deployment of digital equipment, we must carefully assess the appropriate tiers and grades. Diverse viewpoints exist on this issue. I have met with several senior government leaders, some from various foreign countries, along with researchers who suggested that we should completely digitalize every classroom and eliminate physical learning paper entirely. They have advanced that far. However, while that perspective and research exist—and it is not entirely without merit—we must be highly cautious. I am not even talking about the costs of purchasing equipment or electricity. Even for schools in the capital city of Phnom Penh, we must ensure that students read entire physical books. We must read paper books and take notes by hand. Wherever new modernization methods prove successful, we should adopt them; wherever issues arise, we must learn from the experiences of other countries […] Teachers and books remain the absolute bedrock of learning. Digital tools do not replace teachers and do not replace books; they only serve to enhance them. Substituting everything with a “Digital Classroom” means all digital spaces would eliminate the teacher entirely, leaving students to learn only from a screen with no physical paper books. While we expand technological aids, the fundamental baseline of reading alongside a teacher must remain.
(41) “Learning from the Digital Experiences of Pioneer Countries … Systematizing Their Strengths as Our Teaching Methodology …”
We are working hard to fill vacancies in our teacher workforce step by step. During this transitional phase, we can utilize digital tools strategically, but not as a replacement for teachers. Instead, we must use them to strengthen our educators and deploy a larger number of teachers across the country. We are actively providing schools, classrooms, and reading textbooks. Your generation is incredibly fortunate—the state funds the purchase of your textbooks. My generation had no such thing. Learning by reading physical books builds patience and focus. A phone screen allows you to finish reading something far too quickly. In a Facebook post, if someone writes anything longer than three pages, nobody reads it. People summarize things into short fragments. Those who view online content usually look at it for only about 5 seconds. For both videos and text, if you want to capture their attention, you have to present your core point within the first 5 seconds. If it is long, it has to be as engaging as a movie. Let us seize this opportunity to focus on education and align our direction forward. As our capacity grows, we will equip more computers and modernize our teachers, but we must be careful not to move so fast that we slip up without realizing where the hidden dangers lie. Learn from the countries that walked this path before us. When you see their weaknesses, do not follow their footsteps; instead, take their strengths to systematize our own methodology. I urge the Ministry of Education to strictly reinforce reading at both the primary and secondary levels based on original physical documents, rather than letting students begin using smartphones and tablets to completely substitute everything.
(42) Implementing a Policy Banning Mobile Phone Use During Study Hours for Nearly Two Years
Just now, two teachers—both a principal and a classroom teacher—raised this point. This brings us to another critical topic: mobile phone usage inside the classroom. Let us look at this: which schools here have already banned mobile phone use during study hours? Teachers, please raise your hands. Is that all? Just a few school representatives? I asked His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron […] the Ministry introduced this guiding policy over a year, nearly two years ago. In practice, many schools have successfully integrated this into their internal regulations. However, an operational gap remains in actual execution. Regarding enforcement within schools for students during class hours, among nearly 200 countries worldwide, over 100 nations have already established official rules concerning the use of mobile phones inside school grounds or during class periods […] In case of an urgent emergency, parents can contact the teacher or the school office, and staff will call the student down. Other nations restrict phone use specifically during active instructional hours.
(43) Students Using Mobile Phones During Study Hours Causes Three Negative Impacts on Learning and Interaction
In our country, the Ministry of Education has set the policy to turn off phones during class hours. Once class is dismissed, students can use them during the 5 to 10-minute break between periods. Exceptions are made only during specific hours where phone use is strictly required for learning, such as conducting targeted research. Last evening, I asked AI about this exact issue, […] What specific problems does mobile phone use by students create in public state schools in Cambodia?
AI Voice from Phone: “The use of mobile phones by students inside public state schools in Cambodia is a highly pressing topic that creates numerous challenges across academic capacity, discipline, and the mental health of students. These issues can be categorized into key points as follows: 1. Impact on academics and focus: Distraction. Most students are easily distracted while teachers explain lessons because they are busy checking notifications, sending messages, watching entertainment videos on TikTok, or playing games during class hours. A decline in academic performance…”
Let me summarize the rest for you; it is straightforward and echoes the real-world experiences from other countries I mentioned earlier. First, student focus is declining because they are occupied with games, TikTok, and similar distractions. Furthermore, it doesn’t just affect the individual; it disrupts the surrounding students as well. Second, students have stopped talking to one another. Even during recess, they no longer play together. Back in my day, the moment we had a 15-minute break, we would run out to play with our friends. Now, they open up their respective phones, sit right next to each other, and do not utter a single word to one another. Third, during quizzes or tests, they sometimes text each other to exchange answers, or they use their phones to look up answers online instead of thinking.
(44) Executing Policies and Regulations to Educate Youth, Form Positive Habits, and Build Academic Discipline
The most critical factor for you children is classroom discipline and deep focus. As I have stated before, teachers, parents, the Royal Government, the Ministry, and the Departments of Education can only provide the opportunity. The ultimate factor rests with you students. Therefore, we must build positive habits and discipline to ensure students remain focused on their education. The execution of our policies and regulations must fundamentally serve to cultivate discipline in people […] Teachers work hard to prepare their lessons to teach you, children. When a teacher speaks but students are busy chatting, scrolling through TikTok, recording videos to post online, or completely ignoring the lesson, the teacher becomes profoundly discouraged. Eventually, they stop caring. They might start with high energy, but over time, they simply let things slide. Your parents sacrifice immensely, working hard and breaking a sweat to earn money to send you to school. They do so in the hope that when you complete primary, lower secondary, and high school, you will possess adequate capabilities to enter the workforce or move on to higher education with a rock-solid foundation. Your biological parents, your second parents who are your educators, and your guardians are all fighting through hardships to ensure you get an education, and the Royal Government is continuously building the necessary infrastructure to facilitate this.
(45) “Adding the Inattentiveness of Students On Top of Existing Deficits Creates a Dangerous Situation for Our National Education …”
The Ministry of Education has already established the discipline and the boundaries over the last one or two years. Therefore, I ask that we unite to enforce them. Parents, please be understanding and participate in this enforcement alongside the teachers. Hardship first, comfort later is far better than comfort first, hardship later. A school is no different from a military barracks; it is a place to acquire both good behavior and robust knowledge. If students only study for 4 hours a day, and during those 4 hours they are inattentive and unfocused, what will their future look like? Even if we add 8 hours, if there is no discipline and hours are wasted on useless things, it will still yield no results. I do not know how this school is structured internally, but generally speaking, what I have observed relates directly to a decline in student capability. The lack of buildings is one root cause. The lack of teachers is another cause, which forces us to offer only 4 hours of instruction, or in some places, forces 80 to 100 or more students into a single classroom. However, with all these existing challenges, if we add a lack of effort and attentiveness from you children on top of it, this becomes a highly dangerous situation for our national education. We must dare to speak the truth.
(46) Keeping Schools Strict Ensures Students Have Discipline, Order, Academic Excellence, and Attentiveness to Teachers …
I believe that parents and teachers certainly want schools to be strict so that children get a quality education. Isn’t that right? Which parents here want the school to be strict so that their children develop discipline, maintain good order, achieve academic excellence, enter the classroom without messing around on their phones, and listen attentively to the teacher? […] Teachers, which one do you prefer between a lenient school where students learn nothing, or a disciplined school where students listen to you, focus on reading books, and actually acquire knowledge? Let it be a bit strict rather than lenient. Which teachers choose a strict school? All of you as well […] You don’t dare raise your hands in front of your parents and teachers! I used to be a student too, so I understand. But joining this enforcement will not be excessively strict. We are not banning phone use entirely, but during study hours, everyone should participate in upholding this practice.
(47) Educating Students is Also the Province’s Burden; Governors Must Collaborate with Education Departments and Schools to Pay Close Attention
I ask schools, the Department of Education, and the provincial administration to pay close attention. Students are our children too. Isn’t that right? We cannot say, “I am on the administrative side, and that belongs to the Ministry of Education.” The citizens in our province and the capability of the province are the burden of the Provincial Governor. The citizens, the farmers, and their livelihoods are the burden and responsibility of the province. Therefore, educating students is also the province’s burden. Both departments and all sides must cooperate with the youth unions to assist. It is not difficult. Brother Naron mentioned that shortly, he will assign the youth association to come down and monitor. But that is not enough. It requires everyone to participate in respecting discipline. Teachers and school principals, do not be overly lenient. This means do not be too merciful in the classroom; be a bit strict. Back in my teacher’s generation, they used rattan whips […] First, teachers and parents, please help push the children to study. Cooperate with the teachers if any issues arise. Parents always worry about their children’s safety when they go to school, and we are not closing off communications, but there is no need for parents to call their children every single hour to ask how things are going inside the classroom. Place your trust in the school. If there is an emergency, contact the class teacher or the principal, and they will call the student down. Give them your trust to focus on their learning.
(48) We Ought to Cultivate Friendships at School, Increase Academic Quality, and Reduce Social Divides
To you children, it is the same. Bring your phones to school, but turn them off and put them in a box or a designated spot. Do not use them before starting class. Once it is recess or dismissal, you can take them. Alternatively, some schools might say from arrival until dismissal, do not use them at all. Do not use them during recess either. Let the students play with each other just like in the old days. Now, the moment recess starts, everyone uses their phones and stops talking to one another. And this is not just young children. Even at regular ceremonies and functions, no matter what kind of event it is, people do not converse; each person is isolated with their own phone. Just moments ago, two Deputy Prime Ministers were sitting here, each scrolling through their own phone. How can anyone feel inspired to focus on learning or play with friends this way? This is the reality. At some ceremonies, people invite each other to gather after being separated for a long time. Upon arrival, they sit and scroll through their phones all night without speaking a word. Cultivating friendships at school, ensuring academic quality, and another point that AI highlighted: it exposes social divides. Materialism makes some students feel that they must have a certain version of an iPhone or that everyone else is riding a certain type of motorcycle, and these various phones and items cause unnecessary issues. Therefore, to ensure everyone is equal, do not use them, and do not spend class hours on TikTok chasing likes and shares. There is no need, during exams or assignments, to photograph the questionnaire to send to someone outside to solve so they can beam the answers back. There is no need for that. Study by yourself and do the work yourself.
(49) A Core Principle in Human Resource Development and Education is Using Resources for the Right Purpose and at the Right Time
Today, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight two points regarding education. If we lack schools and facilities, we will build and establish more. The same applies to the shortage of teachers. However, we must reinforce what already exists. If we claim we lack classrooms, but once classrooms are available the teaching lacks quality, we blame a lack of materials. This is not correct. We have too many materials now and don’t know which one to choose because we have both paper and digital options. Now, which one do we select? If we choose incorrectly, quality declines. It is like in the old days when a mother went to arrange a marriage; there were no options, so it was simple—you didn’t have to worry about who to care for or who to love. But now, because there are too many connections via Facebook, people don’t know who to choose […] Use resources for the right purpose. Use them at the right time. This is a crucial core principle in human resource development and education.
(50) “External Factors are Merely Supplementary Accompaniments to Give Us Peace of Mind; We Must Acquire Knowledge Internally from Within …”
I request His Excellency Hang Chuon Naron to coordinate and plan with the provinces—not just Kampong Thom, but all provinces—to organize this because these are all our children. Every year, we want our provinces to achieve an increasing number of Grade A and Grade B results, along with higher overall passing rates. Isn’t that right? Therefore, we must teach them well. Maximize learning directly inside the classroom. Do not wait until exam day to memorize lessons or seek out fortune tellers. Today, people no longer look for fortune tellers. This year, at various schools, there were people making ritual offerings […] There is no need to hide it because people post it all over social media. In the past, they sought out fortune tellers; now they make ritual offerings. Now, do not rely on external factors. External factors are merely supplementary accompaniments to give us peace of mind. True learning, however, must be acquired internally from within. I want our education system to grow increasingly robust, reinforcing what already exists, practicing resourceful adaptation, and executing clear policies. Wherever technology can truly assist in increasing capability, we will use it. Whatever else is required, we must prepare for the long term.
(51) 12 Years of Schooling, Especially the First 6 Years, Is a Lifelong Foundation
Studying for 12 years forms the absolute foundation for a lifetime. The first 12 years—and especially the first 6 years—are just like a blank sheet of white paper. We must teach children both robust core knowledge and how to learn, because the way they learn now will shape their continuous habits for the future. If we teach a child how to read books during those first 6 years, they will continue reading when they reach higher grades. However, if we teach them how to use mobile phones right from grade 1, they will lose the ability to perform genuine research later on. The same applies to calculators. Right now, children learn mental math and how to calculate by hand. Yet, some people can no longer calculate by hand at all; the moment a problem arises, they instantly grab a phone or a watch to multiply and add numbers. That is a dangerous trend. Whatever the foundational basics are, please preserve them. We must strongly encourage and urgently push for reading. Every school should invest in having a library and a dedicated reading hour. We should have our own reading hours right inside the classroom as well.
(52) “Forming Positive Habits, Because Habits Stay With Us For a Lifetime …”
We must form positive habits. What matters is that while reading helps us acquire a certain amount of knowledge, the most vital aspect is forming this lifelong habit. It builds reading capability, patience, and deep focus. Reading a book requires genuine patience, which is entirely different from consuming content through other alternative methods […] You children and teachers have listened to and witnessed this; you want the teacher to be strict. The room went completely silent! So, to the parents once again: let the teachers be strict so that our students and our children can achieve academic excellence, isn’t that right? […] Do not forget to continue your learning journey. Today, you have brand new schools built to high standards. There are very few schools across the country paved with actual marble like this. This school is the pioneer to receive marble flooring. Shortly, we will see an increasing number of Grade A results from here […] How many feel confident that they will pass? […] Whatever ritual offerings you choose to make is up to you, but make sure you study hard alongside them […]
(53) “Structuring Curricula, Constructing Buildings, Expanding the Teacher Workforce, and Refining Teaching Methods, Alongside Equipping/Utilizing Technology and Managing Mobile Phones in Classrooms …”
Today, I am speaking to the people here in Kampong Thom, but this also applies to our general education system across the country. Congratulations to the people of Tang Kouk and Kampong Thom on these new achievements. Congratulations to the teachers of all 5 schools and to you children studying across these 5 schools who have received these new facilities. Thank you to the philanthropists of the Cambodia Oknha Association for their active participation. Thank you to all the various philanthropists who participated in constructing the infrastructure serving the education sector. Thank you to the parents, teachers, and educators who have worked hard and fought through hardships to raise their children to this point, supporting them so they have the opportunity to come to school, and to the teachers who strive to teach them thoroughly.
I repeat, the two points I raised earlier were just examples, but they reflect the practical reality tied directly to education and to the very future of you children. Ultimately, when you finish your schooling, pass your exams, and enter the workforce, no one will ask if you graduated grade 12. They will simply take for granted that you finished school, and they will look at whether you are knowledgeable, capable of working, and skilled in your tasks. You will possess the foundation to pursue higher education, and that is what matters […] how we are structuring curricula, constructing buildings, expanding the teacher workforce, refining additional teaching methods, equipping and utilizing technology, and tightly managing mobile phone use inside the classroom. In every country, like Singapore, they ban them completely; devices are returned only when leaving school grounds. This is practiced in China, parts of the United States, France, and various other nations—representing over 100 countries in total—and Australia has just implemented this recently as well.
(54) Setting a Target For Public State Schools to Be Completely Mobile Phone-Free During Class Hours, Unless Expressly Authorized by the Teacher
Our Ministry introduced this guidance two years ago, but widespread implementation has not yet been fully realized. I hope that by the 2026-2027 academic year, we will achieve this nationwide. Private schools are a separate matter, but specifically for public state schools, there should be no classroom where students operate mobile phones during class hours without express permission from the teacher. I want this established as a definitive target. Exceptions are granted only during specific lesson hours where the teacher authorizes phone use for targeted research […] To all the grade 12 students, I wish you success in passing your upcoming examinations. But make sure to dedicate yourselves to your studies. I wish you all a successful pass, and may this school produce a high number of Grade A results. To the students of grades 11, 10, and all the lower grades, please study hard to continue advancing to the next grades, making your parents, guardians, and teachers deeply proud.
(55) From “Those With a Little Knowledge Teach the Untaught, and Those With More Knowledge Teach Those With Less” to “Those With Ample Means Share with Those With Less to Prosper Together …”
I have only these points to share today […] I offer my best wishes and my thanks. That is all. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Oknha Ly Yong Phat and the association for supporting these 5 schools. I hope they will continue to provide further assistance here in Kampong Thom, as His Excellency the Oknha is also actively deployed to support this region. Please continue to extend your support to all regions, not just Kampong Thom, to the best of your available capacity. Our Oknha Association and individual Oknhas have engaged in numerous philanthropic actions, spanning many sectors beyond Kampong Thom and outside of just school buildings. This active participation and sharing is done in our capacity as united Khmers helping one another. In the past, we shared knowledge—those with a little knowledge taught the untaught, and those with more knowledge taught those with less. Today, those who possess ample financial means share with those who have less, ensuring that everyone can thrive, prosper, and progress together […]./.