Outraged teachers at a high school in Kratie province are demanding the removal of their principal for allegedly being rude to female teachers, spending school funds without transparency and not giving them time off.

Some 200 students and 30 teachers held posters during a protest at Metey Keat Chhon High School in Chhlong district’s Hanchey commune on Monday, calling for action from the Education Department – despite having no evidence of actual wrongdoing.

But principal Ith Sopheap said he wanted to maintain high standards to create a “model” school and the teachers were being “selfish”.

Sopheap said he had simply opposed the teachers’ new schedule, which added an hour onto lunch and finished the day an hour early.

“I just want the school to be the model because it is the [former] deputy prime minister’s [Keat Chhon’s] school. We cannot take it easy. I am not strict without reason; in any case I will keep doing it my way,” he said.

Education Department director La Mora said she would investigate the issue over the next six weeks to resolve the dispute.