A Cambodian primary school teacher in capital
Phnom Penh has been removed from her job after a video of her
illicitly collecting money from students circulated online, an
Education Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
The ministry applied an "administrative penalty by withdrawing her teaching position," spokesman Dy Kham Boly told dpa. The spokesman said the ministry issued instructions about teacher professionalism, which prohibit educators from taking money from students, and continues to enforce guidelines to prevent such acts.
In a video clip shared on Facebook, a teacher is seen collecting cash from seated pupils. One student can be heard saying, "Teacher, I didn't bring the money with me."
The minimum monthly salary for Cambodia teachers is about 300 dollars, well above the 182-dollar-per-month minimum wage for the nation's 700,000 garment workers.
Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association president Ouk Chhayavy told the Khmer Times that following an Education Ministry crackdown many teachers have stopped collecting money from their students, but some still take about 25 cents or less per pupil to supplement their earnings.
"We appeal to the ministry to totally eliminate this unprofessional action," Chhayavy said. The ministry said in a statement that it investigated the incident after viewing the video online, the Times reported.
"The investigation showed that the teacher collected money and she also admitted in writing that she did so," the statement said. She was transferred to do office work in the school, while another teacher was assigned to her class, the ministry said.
The ministry applied an "administrative penalty by withdrawing her teaching position," spokesman Dy Kham Boly told dpa. The spokesman said the ministry issued instructions about teacher professionalism, which prohibit educators from taking money from students, and continues to enforce guidelines to prevent such acts.
In a video clip shared on Facebook, a teacher is seen collecting cash from seated pupils. One student can be heard saying, "Teacher, I didn't bring the money with me."
The minimum monthly salary for Cambodia teachers is about 300 dollars, well above the 182-dollar-per-month minimum wage for the nation's 700,000 garment workers.
Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association president Ouk Chhayavy told the Khmer Times that following an Education Ministry crackdown many teachers have stopped collecting money from their students, but some still take about 25 cents or less per pupil to supplement their earnings.
"We appeal to the ministry to totally eliminate this unprofessional action," Chhayavy said. The ministry said in a statement that it investigated the incident after viewing the video online, the Times reported.
"The investigation showed that the teacher collected money and she also admitted in writing that she did so," the statement said. She was transferred to do office work in the school, while another teacher was assigned to her class, the ministry said.
