Prime Minister Hun Manet has instructed the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to open recruitment channels for contract and retired teachers, through a clear assessment, to teach in underserved areas.
Mr Hun Manet made these remarks at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh yesterday. He noted that when there is a shortage, efforts must be made to recruit teachers to fill the vacancies, including retired ones, with clear contracts.
“When there is an urgent issue to resolve, we must open recruitment channels for contract teachers on the spot, including retired teachers, so they can return to teaching. This is not a new approach. In the past, parents have requested for retired teachers to be brought back to teach,” Mr Hun Manet said.
The Prime Minister noted that, according to the 2014 sub-decree, vacancies for kindergarten and primary school teachers are addressed, but for secondary school teachers, careful consideration is needed to avoid future issues.
He stressed the importance of clear principles, such as dispatching teachers to areas with a real shortage, and ensuring a proper assessment of their skills. Recruitment must also consider the health and work activities of teachers.
He added that during visits to rural areas, he saw the most pressing problem: the lack of teachers at the local high school level, who are difficult to recruit and replace, causing challenges for young students.
The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to work diligently to address teacher shortages in areas across the country, recognising that teachers are a vital resource for the nation.
He also acknowledged concerns about retaining retired teachers and using contract teachers, assuring that these efforts are not intended to undermine the new generation of teachers.
He added that during his military career, he visited locations with either school buildings but no teachers, or teachers but no school buildings.
Khuon Vichheka, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, explained that to meet the current demand for teachers, especially at the primary school level, the ministry is using contract teachers in areas facing teacher shortages.
She added that the ministry works closely with the Ministry of Civil Service to meet teacher needs each year, offering training to fill gaps left by retiring or transferring teachers.
Vichheka noted that the ministry’s training programmes are continually being improved to enhance the qualifications of contract teachers, enabling them to teach at preschool, primary, secondary, and high school levels.
At the 2023-2024 Education, Youth, and Sport Work Summary Conference in February 2025, Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, said that in the 2024-2025 school year, Cambodia had 19,591 schools nationwide, including 13,948 public schools, 2,295 private schools, and 3,348 community kindergartens.
Currently, Cambodia has 126,766 education personnel at all levels (48% female), including 5,242 at the national level and 121,524 at the sub-national level. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport employs 704 contracted education officials, including 461 at the national level and 243 at the sub-national level. There are 16,524 contracted teachers (10,998 female).