The Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday urging him not to relocate Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports offices to the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

CITA president Rong Chhunn said he wrote the letter after education officials learned that J&R Import Export & Construction had asked Hun Sen to trade land with it.

The requested exchange would involve moving an education department printing house and other offices from Chamkarmon and Daun Penh districts to land J&R owns in Russey Keo district’s Prek Leap commune. J&R would then move into the vacated education buildings.

“Relocating to a new place on the outskirts of Phnom Penh will cost education officials a lot of money, but their salary will remain low,” Rong Chhunn said. He said he was confident his request would be granted because Hun Sen had previously warned government officials not to move public offices to the outskirts of the city because it inconvenienced workers.

J&R director Seng Vuoch-leang could not be reached for comment.

But a letter she sent to Hun Sen on November 24, which the Post obtained yesterday, describes the ministry’s buildings, including its printing and distribution house, as “narrow and old”, and promises that “new buildings” on the Russey Keo district site will have water, electricity and air-conditioners.

“In exchange for new buildings and location, my company requests to have land and buildings on the old locations,” Seng Vuochleang wrote.

Mak Vann, secretary of state at the Ministry of Education, said he had not seen the letter and therefore could not comment on the matter.