Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Teachers at loggerheads with principal over funds

Teachers at loggerheads with principal over funds

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
The entrance of the Techo Sen Plak Samrong Primary School in Memot district of Tbong Khmum province. FACEBOOK

Teachers at loggerheads with principal over funds

Some of the teachers at Techo Sen Plak Samrong Primary School in Dar commune of Tbong Khmum province’s Memot district are insisting that provincial governor Cheam Chan Sophorn reassign principal Im Vutheany in order to end a long-running dispute.

They said the internal disputes between the school’s administrators and teachers and staff are negatively affecting student learning.

Sos Isa, deputy principal at the school, told The Post on December 6 that the dispute between the teachers and Vutheany dated back to 2017 with allegations that the principal was embezzling school support funds and from the scholarship fund for poor students.

He said the accusation had been reported to the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), who spoke with Vutheany and made her sign a contract promising to stop these irregularities.

“After a warning from the ACU, I saw an improvement in the working relationship between the teachers, the academic staff and the school administration. But a year later there was enmity again,” he said.

Isa said the conflict resumed after Vutheany regained control of the school’s funds and spent some of the money on personal expenses.

According to teachers, Vutheany used her power to intimidate teachers into signing false receipts to cover up her personal expenditures and sometimes bribed them with payments of 20,000 riel ($5) to do so.

Vutheany denies the allegations, but said she will abide by the provincial authorities’ decision.

“I did not do the things I’m accused of, but I acknowledge that my leadership here is of limited effectiveness now,” she said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.