BAKC president Ly Chantola (left) during the 28th general assembly of the bar association in October. Hong Menea
Ly Chantola, president of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC), has explained that the association is now offering free legal services to all of the teachers in state schools, permanent appointees or contract teachers.
He shared details of the scheme during a March 9 interview with Bayon Television (BTV).
“Teachers who want legal advice can ask our members, free of charge. In addition, if they are involved in a legal dispute before the courts, we will offer them free legal representation, nationwide. This applies to both state appointed and contracted teachers,” he said.
He added that this provision is available only for the teaching staff at state schools, not private educational institutions. The BAKC is also prepared to assist with the preparation of documentation, whether for contracts, or purchase, sale and loan agreements. All the teachers need to do is contact the BAKC.
“We began offering these services in February and have already given a lot of consultations. All of the legal advice our working group has provided has been more than acceptable to the teachers who sought our assistance. At present, seven or eight court cases are underway which we have provided legal support for,” he continued.
Khuon Vicheka, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, hailed the close attention the BAKC is paying to supporting teachers and educational staff, noting that this kind of assistance encourages teachers to dedicate themselves to their mission of promoting the calibre of the nation’s human resources.
“Cooperation in support of our teachers demonstrates solidarity with wider society. The whole nation should join hands to do as much as they can for our educators, as they play a vital role in the future socio-economic development of the country,” he said.
Chantola explained that the BAKC has established three key mechanisms to assist the needy or the vulnerable.
Through the first, the government funds the association, so its members can defend poor and vulnerable people who cannot afford defence lawyers.
The second was introduced in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Cambodian National Council for Women. Through this mechanism, association members are available to represent women and girls who are victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse or violent offences.
The third mechanism was established in March 2021, in order to provide free legal advice and representation for the poor and factory workers, both in criminal and civil cases.
Kong Samneang, head of the Federation of Education Services in Cambodia, viewed the free provision of legal services for teachers as an excellent step, as when court cases arise, the cost of legal fees could be exorbitant.
“I think this is great news, as nowadays, many teachers’ salaries are limited,” he added.
He believes that while this assistance will ease the burdens of many teachers, avoiding becoming involved in court cases or legal wrangling remains the best course of action.
