Boost to salaries following Valuing Teachers Report, Cambodia - VSO

Cambodia under the VSO Political Volunteer initiative. They proved to be
highly effective in lobbying the Minister of education to accept the report.
During a national meeting on World Teachers Day in 2009, all 400 participants
received a copy of the report; the NEP Executive Director presented the
findings to the participants during the event which included the Ministry of
Education, NGOs and teachers.
Results
In January 2010, the Royal Government of Cambodia confirmed its
commitment to increase teachers’ basic salary by 20 per cent every year. The
Secretary of State for Education announced during an Education Strategic
Plan meeting that the government would increase the salary of teachers
effective from that moment. The new monthly salaries of public teachers
were US50$ for primary school teachers, US75$ for lower secondary school
teachers and US100$ for upper secondary school teachers. The first step has
been made to reaching an adequate level of pay, and it has been
acknowledged that in the coming years salaries should improve more.
In addition to this teachers will receive other benefits; for example an
additional incentive for teachers who are willing to go to remote areas.
According to the Secretary of State, the new salaries will mark a major
improvement in the living standards of teachers in rural areas. However, he
also raised some concerns regarding teachers who live in cities, where living
costs are higher compare to rural areas.
It is hoped that teacher salaries will continue to increase, and the corruption
and financial management problems which prevent many teachers from
accessing their money will also be resolved.
2010
See the Valuing Teachers page for more information on this research:
http://www.vsointernational.org/what-we-do/advocacy/campaigns/valuingteachers.asp#0
1443430-1