Minimum Wage for Teachers to Be $230 by April

KHMER TIMES
PECH SOTHEARY



Prime Minister Hun Sen announced yesterday that the minimum wage for teachers is set to exceed $230 (about 950,000 riel), not including additional bonuses, come April next year.

During a graduation ceremony for Cambodia University for Specialties students at Koh Pich, Mr. Hun Sen said the government will incrementally implement the wage increase, starting with a minimum of $206 in January followed by an increase to $230 in April.

“The minimum salary for teachers next year will rise to more than 900,000 riel, not including other benefits,” he said.

Mr. Hun Sen noted that the current minimum wage for teachers is $193, which exceeds $241 (one million riel) with bonuses.

He added that teachers in select rural areas will also get a local bonus of $19, $24 or $29.

However, the premier did not specify which level of teachers will see the hike. Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron could not be reached for clarification.

Ouk Chhayavy, the acting director of the Cambodian Independent Teacher Association (CITA), lauded the move, but urged the government to increase the minimum wage to at least $362 (1.5 million riel) to match the cost of living.

“We applaud this increase which shows the prime minister is paying attention to teachers, but they should increase it more to reach a level which will allow our teachers to live properly,” she said, adding that teachers with a spouse and children should also be given an additional $9.50 allowance.

Khat Sothy, a high school teacher in Phnom Penh, also welcomed the wage increase, but said the increase was not sufficient as it did not match the rising cost of living.

“It is difficult to survive if we have a job only as a teacher, and we try to find other jobs, but it’s still not enough,” he said.

“Literally if the salary is one and a half to two million riel, it’s much better, especially in today’s market conditions,” he said.

CITA’s Ms. Chhayavy added that the association plans to submit a petition to the Education Ministry and the cabinet tomorrow, on International Teachers’ Day, to urge the government to increase the teachers’ minimum wage to $362 next year.

The petition, she said, was a culmination of discussions with 250 teachers from the provinces and the cities.

Mr. Hun Sen in March pledged to bring the teachers’ minimum wage up to $250 by 2018.

The Cambodian People’s Party has made improving the country’s education system a mainstay of its reform agenda in a bid to win votes.