Teachers/nurses to get a pay raise, eventually, says HE

[Soi Dog]

Not much, but it's a start.

HE Announces Raises for Teachers, Nurses
BY KHY SOVUTHY | AUGUST 22, 2014
Prime Minister HE yesterday announced a three-stage plan to raise the salaries of civil servants working under the Education and Health ministries, with the first increase to come in September.

Speaking to graduating students at Beltei University in Phnom Penh, Mr. HE said that the minimum monthly wage for teachers would be raised from about $105 to about $138 by April next year.

“Starting in September, [teachers’ salaries] will increase to 505,000 riel [about $126]; between January and March, they will increase to 507,000 riel; and in April, they will increase to 552,800 riel [about $138]. This is for the people who have the lowest salary,” Mr. HE said.

“The highest salary is 1,667,000 riel [about $410], but please understand each other: We cannot increase yet. We need to have more discussions,” Mr. HE said.

While teacher salaries are set to increase from next month, the prime minister said a timeframe and increments for the health sector wage increases had not yet been set.

Mr. HE also apologized to police and military officials, whose wages he said he could not afford to raise yet.

The wages of the nation’s civil servants—including an estimated 110,000 teachers and 20,000 people working under the Health Ministry—will now be separated into three levels, rather than four.

Teachers agitated for a pay rise on the back of mass wage strikes in the garment sector in December and January. At the time, the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) and the opposition CNRP campaigned for teachers to earn $250 monthly, but Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said that was not fathomable under the current budget.

Rong Chhun, president of CITA, which has more than 10,000 members, welcomed the prime minister’s announcement on Thursday, but said the raise was not enough.

“I wish the government would raise to 1 million riel [about $250],” Mr. Chhun said.

“If Mr. HE considers raising to 1 million riel to be shameful for him as it is a model proposed by CITA and the CNRP, then he can raise to 1.2 million riel.

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-s ... ses-67017/

[vladimir]

At least the dosh from work permits will be well spent.

[Soi Dog]

New teachers earn $105/month? For fuck's sake.

[Bitte_Kein_Lexus]

And then they wonder why corruption is rampant... They should have upped salaries ages ago instead of doing double examinations and so on...

[OrangeDragon]

New teachers earn $105/month? For fuck's sake.

low, but not that much lower than the standard salaries in the country.

[StroppyChops]

New teachers earn $105/month? For fuck's sake.

low, but not that much lower than the standard salaries in the country.

When you take into account hours worked, that's far higher than a textile worker - but that's not saying much

[Soi Dog]

New teachers earn $105/month? For fuck's sake.

low, but not that much lower than the standard salaries in the country.

When you take into account hours worked, that's far higher than a textile worker - but that's not saying much

I assume a local teacher needs a University degree to be qualified. If there is no pay incentive to entice people to bother with higher education, why would anyone go that route? Better off to avoid the years of extra schooling and tuition costs and go right to work in the garment industry as young as possible.