ChhounManin, 19, a year two student at the Institute of Foreign Languages

In my opinion, spending time on working may affect our studies badly. That’s because we’d have to spend too much time on working and spend less time on studying. We wouldn’t have enough time for self-study, research, or getting homework done. So, every day, we may focus on making high earnings instead of being an outstanding student. There can be some exceptions, though. If we take a job or start a career that relates to our major in school, then there can be benefits from working. In class, we only study theory, so it could be a great way to gain practical experience. Therefore, those students who work a job related to their major might have more opportunities for employment after they graduate.

Horn Muyteang, 20, a year one student at Pannasastra University of Cambodia

I think that for those with good abilities, studying and working part-time isn’t a problem. They can handle the workload a lot easier, because they’re probably good at managing their schedule. Prioritising is important, because you have to be prepared for something urgent, such as assignments, quizzes or exams. Some people can gain both good experience and money while working. This can allow a student to pay their university fees on his or her own, without having to ask their family for money. Having a job and studying at the same time also shows that you are a hard worker.

HulTakakpanga, 20, a year three student at the University of Health Science

For me, having a job while being a student can offer many advantages. It allows for a better standard of living and, depending on the job, we can learn how to survive without the help of our parents. Also, having a job before graduating can help students have enough work experience to find a good career after university. However, students like me who study more than one subject have difficulty managing their time, because our workload is so demanding. As a student of health science, I wish I could take a part-time job, but I don’t have any free time.

UySamphallarith, 18, a year-two student at Institute of Foreign Languages

“I think it is very hard to focus on both studying and working. As we all know, each require a lot of time and effort. For instance, students have a busy schedule, so how can we focus on working? Also, if we students focus only on our work, our exam scores will be low because we wont’t be able to pay attention to our studies. I think that we should not study while having a job at the same time, because we may face a lot of difficulties and problems.

ChhumChanpisey, 19, a year-two student at Institute of Foreign Languages

“Speaking from my own experience, having a job while being a student has advantages and it also has disadvantages. The biggest advantage is getting practical experience on the job. This is a priceless experience. Also, my job helps me to have a better understanding of how our society works. The disadvantage, though, is that I have to work long hours and I don’t have enough time left for my studies. Compared to other students, they use their free time for studying while I use it for working.”