Minister of Interior Sar Kheng told students receiving their Bachelor’s degrees on Tuesday that obtaining certificates did not mean they were truly intellectual, instead they needed further self-study and research.

Sar Kheng, who is also deputy prime minister, was speaking at the graduation ceremony for students of Prey Veng province’s Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear.

He said theoretical study at school helped students acquire a strong foundation in critical thinking and evaluation skills for future self-development, with constant learning an important factor in people’s lives.

However, if students did not carry out regular research, they would not be able to keep up with the technological revolution rapidly changing today’s world, Sar Kheng said.

“You must understand that in order to become truly intelligent, you must try hard and carry out independent research. You must read more books, take notes and observe closely all the knowledge that comes to you."

“You must keep reviewing knowledge to transform yourself into a true intellectual to benefit yourself, your family and society."

“It is not enough just to get certificates from your life of learning – you must keep learning, researching and studying to expand your knowledge,” he said.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport had recently requested the government include life-learning principles as part of national education policy, he told the gathered students.

“This means that after you receive certificates, it does not mean that your learning has finished. There is not only learning at school but also learning in the workplace and outside learning – you can learn all the time from everywhere."

“So we spend our whole lives learning. You work and you learn. It does not mean that after you receive certificates, you say: ‘I know enough and don’t need to learn anymore.’

“The world is changing rapidly. Everything is changing very quickly, so the learning process must keep pace,” Sar Kheng said.

He also asked the more than 1,000 students receiving their degrees on Tuesday to try their hardest and conquer all obstacles to become good citizens, government officials and employees.

They must use their acquired knowledge, skills and experience to carry out their work professionally and responsibly, and with a conscience.

Good morals, humility and honesty are needed when serving the people and the motherland, he said.

“You must remember that only knowledge will improve and develop your creative minds, and improve and develop your country,” Sar Kheng added.

Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron also spoke at the graduation ceremony, saying that the Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear had since 1993 played a significant role in developing Cambodia’s human resources.

He said 12,195 students, 3,385 of them women, had graduated from the university and were serving at governmental and private institutions, while some had started their own businesses. They were all capable and professional individuals, he said.

The 2018-2019 academic year has 4,248 students, of which 2,394 are women. They are pursuing accounting and aquaculture, while 132 students (71 women) are pursuing courses in electronics.

“Chea Sim University of Kamchaymear has strategic plans and reforms in place to improve training and education by boosting teaching quality,” he said.