About 170 members of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association marked World Teachers' Day in Phnom Penh yesterday with a march to the Ministry of Education, the National Assembly and the prime minister's Cabinet, where they submitted petitions demanding salary increases and overtime pay."We are asking the government to please give us more money, because our salary now is not enough," said Pang Rith, a secondary school teacher from Odder Meanchey Province, who makes about $80 a month. Suos kol, a primary school teacher from Svay Rieng Province, said that her monthly $50 salary does not support her family. As the group marched from freedom Park to the Education Ministry, their first destination, they were blocked by about 30 police and military police officers, who refused to allow more than 15 teachers' association representatives to pass. These representatives were then trailed by the police officers as they marched down Street 19 to the ministry. When they arrived, a ministry spokesman, who declined to be named, refused to accept the petition.
Undeterred, teachers' association director Rong Chhun appealed for the teachers blocked at Freedom Park to join him at the ministry. After an hour-long standoff, Mr Chhun was finally able to submit his letter. Daun Penh district Public Order police Chief Kim Vutha said that authorities could not allow all the teachers to march because of worries the parade would cause traffic congestion. Tun Sa Im, undersecretary of state at the Education Ministry, confirmed that the petition was accepted but could not explain the initial delay in accepting the document from the teachers' association.
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