Phnom Penh: Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet made here this afternoon a clarification to the misinformation on his public speech on Wednesday over the education reform in the country.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Prime Minister Hun Manet addressed the confusion surrounding the suspension of modern learning centres (MLC) in some primary and secondary schools. During the closing ceremony of the Ministry of Tourism’s annual meeting, he emphasized that the move was misinterpreted as affecting the new generation schools (NGS).

The Prime Minister clarified that there is no intention to cancel or close the NGS, which are state-run initiatives that maintain consistent teaching standards, principles, teachers, and curriculum. These schools operate with students learning together in the same classes.

In contrast, the MLC model, which is distinct from NGS, follows a Build, Operate, Transfer (BoT) formula implemented by a private company within public schools. This model results in students learning in separate buildings with different teaching facilities, even when they share the same teachers and school.

The MLC program has led to the existence of two standards within a single school, creating a divide between paying students and those who do not pay, as highlighted by the Prime Minister. Hun Manet urged parents and teachers to recognize this inequality.

The MLC model has been tested at approximately 18 public schools, with some institutions having implemented it for several years, while others have only recently started. Before the program’s suspension, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports plans to evaluate each case individually to ensure a smooth transition for students back to the state education standard.