The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) has highlighted three components as contributing to the strengthening of student ethics to enhance the quality of education.

The first is the adoption of preventive measures against inappropriate behaviour on Valentine’s Day at all public and private educational institutions.

The second is the development of all aspects of student ethics via the curriculum at all grade levels.

The third is the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Constitutional Council on incorporating certain articles of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia into the curriculum.

Preventive measures

The Ministry of Education has adopted preventive measures against inappropriate behaviour on Valentine’s Day at public and private education institutions to continue promoting the quality of education.

Valentine’s Day is not a Khmer tradition, and the Ministry has observed that some students are confused as to its meaning.

This confusion can cause some to be distracted from their studies and disregard Cambodian culture and traditions. To continue strengthening the implementation of internal regulations for educational institutions, MoEYS has issued instruction on preventive measures against inappropriate behaviour on February 14 at public and private institutions.

These include using all avenues to disseminate information to students – including addressing students during assembly before the national anthem – regarding Valentine’s Day.

The firm implementation of educational institutions’ internal regulations, particularly regarding ethics and discipline management, through checks on student attendance is also urged.

Utilising youth counselling boards and school-based children’s boards is encouraged, as is applying the ‘friends educate friends’ approach.

Communicating closely with parents, guardians and the wider community to provide and receive information related to any inappropriate behaviour by students is encouraged, with action to educate and give advice to students to be taken in a timely manner.

The Ministry of Education appreciates the measures being taken and believes continuing attention in adopting these instructions will lead to greater effectiveness.

From Grades 7- 12, Morals and Civics has been included as a separate major subject. MOEYS

The ministry calls for provincial departments of Education, Youth and Sport, school management and all stakeholders to implement declaration No1258 dated March 27, 2009 on internal regulations for primary education institutions and declaration No2786 dated October 22, 2009 on internal regulations for public secondary general education institutions.

Promotion of student ethics

The Ministry of Education considers an individual’s morality to be the product of a combination of innate and social factors.

Innate factors are those present in an individual from birth, while social factors refer to influences from family, friends, schooling and the wider community. Based on these factors, the strength of an individual’s ethics is dependent on the contributions of all stakeholders.

MoEYS consequently understands fully that one of the key roles of the ministry is to strengthen individuals’ ethics through the curriculum at all grade levels and with positive collaborations with relevant ministries, organisations, development partners and other key players.

The ministry has included Morals and Civics in the curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 12. For kindergarten and primary education, the ministry has added Social Studies as a subject.

From Grades 7- 12, Morals and Civics has been included as a separate major subject, providing in-depth study of culture, tradition, religion, and individual responsibility, as well as societal and global morals and ethics, and treaties and laws regarding human rights, and becoming a global citizen.

The Ministry of Education has instructed all educational institutions to fully implement the curriculum incorporated with civic morality.

This is to contribute to strengthening capacity at all grade levels for students to become global citizens with the right attitude, and the knowledge, skills and values in response to national, regional and global contexts.

Memorandum of understanding

To further contribute to promoting good citizenship and strong social morality, MoEYS and the Constitutional Council signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on incorporating certain articles of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia in the curriculum.

HE Im Chhun Lim, the director of the Constitutional Council and HE Dr Hang Chuon Naron, the minister of Education, Youth and Sport, inked the agreement on March 1, 2019.

The director of Constitutional Council and Minister of Education both recognise that Constitution is the highest law in the Kingdom of Cambodia, which everyone must follow as conscientious citizens.

Knowledge of the main principles stated in the Constitution is important in strengthening patriotic commitment and social responsibility.

With the MoU, the Constitutional Council and the Ministry of Education have agreed to incorporate parts of the Constitution in the primary, secondary and upper-secondary education curricula.

The Constitutional Council shall provide technical support in developing lesson content related to the basic constitutional regulations incorporated in the curricula of the three educational levels, while MoEYS has published appropriate lesson content.

The two bodies have agreed to establish a working group to fulfil this work, with the results to be approved by the directors of both organisations.

This working group is preparing action plans in response to the MoU to illustrate the detailed processed of the work and its timeframe.

Thus, MoEYS continues to be committed to preventing inappropriate behaviour on Valentine’s Day, while promoting student ethics through the curriculum and the MoU on incorporating the Cambodian Constitution to further strengthen the quality of education in the Kingdom.