Comments on issues of teacher’s salary increase, land prices and new roads construction in the province of Kandal.
Congratulation on Graduates and Achievements
My wife and I are so happy to be here to share our pleasure and consideration with the 557 new teachers as well as to put into official use the achievements that have been made here. I am so happy to see that our graduates have completed with success their study in the formula of 12 (years of education) + 2 (years of pedagogical training) so as to become teaching staff for junior college level and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) would from here delegate you to different colleges with demand for more teachers.
As you all know that the Hun Sen – Kandal Regional School of Pedagogy provides its training of teachers not only for the province of Kandal but also for those from the provinces of Kompong Chnang and Kompong Speu as well. Some may get a chance later to teach in schools where there are new buildings and/or good road access, but the rest would also go to schools in old conditions and difficult road access as well. However, we have put behind us a lot of difficult situations and we are working to pass by more. No matter in what condition you may find yourselves in while pursuing your teaching careers in the above provinces, you should always keep in mind that your colleagues in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri, and other remote places have not less difficulties than you do.
Salary Increase for Teachers
As of April 1 this year, those who do actual teaching work will have their salary increase by 10% which means that the State needs a sum of 14 billion Riel for this scheme. As for the following year, we are asking for another 20% increase, again only for those who do the actual teaching work. However, the pedagogical fee has been provided for all across the board already. This should be able to share the burden of living conditions of our teachers and teaching staff. I also have signed the order to allow for 100% increase in financial assistance for spouses and children. This means those with many children will get more money. However, our people do not want to have many children in their families though we still have a high birth rate.
Support for Fourth Term’s Office
Thank you very much for your expression of support for me to go on with the leadership in the fourth term of the Royal Government to be. I cannot reject your offer. But it is also important to talk about why the “temple boy” has evolved from being just a soldier to assuming the posts of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the Prime Minister, and leading the country from its state of division to the state of reconciliation and peace. So if the CPP stands a chance to get the mandate from the people, Hun Sen will indeed continue to be the Prime Minister, whose leadership would allow everyone to live together.
High Prices for Land
There have been discussions about the price of land has gone high lately. Some has gone this far to say that why Hun Sen did not take up any land before. I told in return that if I were to do so there would not be a Hun Sen today. I am sure what is the most effective way for me to stay with the people’s agenda is that I never compare myself to the rich but to the poor. Take for instance the 12.5 hectare land on which the School stands is actually my land. If I were to take up the land for personal gain I would not be here anymore because I would not be able to lead anyone out of my bad example.
Some politicians say they will work toward bringing down the price of land by what it seems to be the revising of land ownership. They may do whatever they want if they win the elections and I just warn them of the Zimbabwe’s experience of revising ownership of land. For me it is good the people can sell land at a higher price. What they should not do is to confiscate land from the people. But what is also important is that if they sell land at a high price they should think of using the money either for buying cheaper land anywhere for their production activities or other income generation activities, and not to waste them anyway.
Roads Construction in Kandal
I would from the Hun Sen – Kandal Regional School of Pedagogy seek the understanding from the people living along the road 118 which is a branch of the national road 1 to the border with Vietnam at Kaam Sam Nar as well as those living along the road from Jba Ampeo to the Buddhist pagoda of Jampuh Ka Ek that the road is now under construction though it has taken us a bit too long for building this 43 milometer road. The project will be implemented in two phases – the first of which will be for 22 kilometers because we will be stopped then by the flood season that would halt all construction work. It is going to be a seven meters wide road. /.
EndItem.
