The Phnom Penh Education Department established a committee to manage Chea Sim Chhouk Va High School temporarily after suspending four school directors who were investigated for corruption, following allegations made by the teachers. No specific time has been provided for the new leadership to start.
Hem Sinareth, director of the Phnom Penh Education Department confirmed the official formation of the management committee and the announcement to the teachers on Thursday. The decision was made three months after the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and the Phnom Penh Capital Administration were requested by the teachers to change the school directors.
The committee has three leaders, including Youth Office director Nget Chansok, who was made president, and Prek Pnov district education director Neang Sakhorn and Trapeang Sala secondary school director Pav Savath who were appointed vice presidents.
However, the four suspended directors, including the principal and deputy principal accused of corruption, were also made committee members.
According to Sinareth, although the teachers demanded the removal of school directors because of their alleged involvement in corruption, an investigation by the officers “did not find them guilty”.
He explained that the lead director only “misapplied” the first administrative measures in the management of the school and staff. Therefore, Sinareth said, it “cannot result in a dismissal unless there was a second misapplication of administrative measures”.
However, the issue required the establishment of a temporary school board, while the director and deputy director fulfill the role of committee members who “do not have the right to perform any work without the new committee president’s permission”.
“They [suspended directors] no longer have the right to manage or lead the unit [school]. But they have to do what the president tells them.”
Asked if a timeframe could be provided for the appointment of new school leaders, Sinareth said that could not be ascertained yet.
The high school deputy director, Yer Leang, who was accused of corruption, said the setting up of the committee was a good thing because it would make known the results of school management to the public and put an end to the corruption allegations.
“There is no corruption,” he retorted. “How [are we] corrupt? We used the budget to develop [the school infrastructure]. First of all, the school is clean and the environment is good. Secondly, our students’ grades have increased. If there was no process or there was corruption, it wouldn’t reach that level, so their accusations are incorrect.”
Meanwhile, a few school teachers thought that the setting up of the new committee was good but were concerned that the director may return to his role as he was made a committee member when others wanted a change in leadership.
Teacher Soeng Sovann said, “It’s still a concern because this [committee] is only temporary, it’s not official […] the director has the same role because yesterday [Thursday] they announced that if the president and the deputy president of the management committee have urgent matters, they can delegate the tasks to the members.”
“That means he [director] still has the same role and at some point he may become the principal of the school again. This is what the team was thinking.”
Another teacher, Phy Channary, who brought up similar issues, mentioned that they want a new director who can run the school with transparency and good intentions. They felt that Pav Savath, who is currently the committee’s deputy president, should become the director of the high school.
“Every teacher hopes that in future [a new director] will take on [the position]. We want teacher Pav Savath to be the director here.”
Responding to the teachers’ request for Pav Savath to assume the director’s post, Sinareth said the proposal cannot be finalized yet because the relevant institutions have to review it first.
“If there is support in the future [for this], we will consider it but before placing [him] in [control], we have to consider [his capabilities] too. But we cannot accede to their request for now.”
Sinareth also said the department will not block the teachers’ right to protest but asked them to respect the administrative measures to avoid mobilizing students and other teachers to protest as it was disruptive to the school.
Neang Sakhorn, vice president of the committee, declined to comment via telephone. Bun Mony, the school director accused of corruption, could not be reached for comment.
Recall that on March 21, 2024, teachers and students of Chea Sim Chhouk Va High School protested, demanding the removal of two school directors, who were alleged to have misappropriated school funds. The lead director was also said to be lacking in leadership skills.
The group protested again on June 4 with banners to compel MoEYS and relevant authorities. On June 11, MoEYS and the Phnom Penh Department of Education formed a joint committee with three officers to investigate the allegations of misappropriation of funds and corruption involving both directors.
