Cambodia to Reopen Schools in Particular Areas

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has instructed concerned authorities to discuss the possibility to reopen schools after the COVID-19 spread is seemingly under control.
According to his voice message this morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen urged Minister of Education, Youth and Sports H.E. Hang Chuon Naron to discuss with provincial and municipal governors to examine the possibility to reopen schools – primary and secondary – in rural areas with no risk of the virus outbreak, but health safety rules must be well carried out.
For urban areas with low infection rate and with vaccination, he continued, the online learning can continue or both in-class with safety distancing and online learning can be applied.
But for high-risk areas, only online learning is allowed, Samdech Techo Prime Minister underlined.
“I suggest to think in a flexible way and follow the real situation in each province whether it is possible for schools to reopen or keep the distance learning or mix between in-class learning and online learning, otherwise we will be in a situation where our children and youth lose their opportunities [of studying],” he said.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen also expressed his optimism over the socio-economic recovery, stressing that the herd immunity in Phnom Penh capital and Kandal province is a positive sign for the resumption of socio-economic activities, including the education sector.
As of Aug. 30, for the children-youth aged 12 to under 18 years old, 1,518,488 or 77.20 percent of the nearly two-million target have received their first dose, while 304,519 already got their 2nd dose.
For the target of 10 million adults, 9,175,478 people have obtained their first jab, or 91.75 percent, among them 8,153,574 have been fully vaccinated.
Besides, 610.428 booster doses have been administered to frontline officials across the countries.
If we add all the figures, Cambodia has so far vaccinated about 66.84 percent of the total population of 16 million.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Press

More Rainfall Expected Across the Country This Week

There would be rainfall throughout the country from Sept. 1 to 7, according to a new weather forecast released this morning by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM).
The ministry thus called on people to be vigilant of possible thunder, lightning, gusts, and flash flood.
For the temperature, the same source pointed out, it would vary between 24 and 32 degrees Celsius for the provinces in the central lowland areas, and from 23 to 31 degrees Celsius for the provinces next to the Dangrek mountain range and highland areas in the northeast.
For the coastal areas, the temperature would range between 24 and 34 degrees Celsius, said MOWRAM.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Press

COVID-19: 123 Imported Cases among 439 New Confirmed Cases

There were 123 imported cases among the 439 new infections of COVID-19 in Cambodia this morning, according to a press release of the Ministry of Health.
The national counts thus jumped to 93,055, including 15,152 imported cases, the same source pointed out.
Besides, it continued, 343 more patients have been cured, but 11 others have lost their lives; bringing the total recovered and death cases in the Kingdom to 88,786 and 1,903, respectively.
In another news release, the ministry announced the detection of a total of 1,916 cases of Delta variant in Cambodia so far, most of them are in Phnom Penh capital, followed by the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, and Siem Reap.
Only two provinces – Kep and Kratie – have not yet been affected by the fast-spreading Delta variant, it underlined.
The first COVID-19 case was detected in Cambodia in late January 2020 in Preah Sihanouk province. The confirmed cases have surged quickly this year due to the Feb. 20 Community Event.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Press

KOICA to Offer Online Course on Cambodia Court Administration Improvement

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Cambodia office will organise an online training programme on “Cambodia Court Administration Improvement (Cambodia)” from Sept. 6 to 17, said a KOICA’s press release AKP received this morning.
Twenty-five (25) officials from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Court Administration Secretariat will participate in the 12-day online training course, it added.
According to the same source, the objective of this online training is to improve and modernise the court administration system in Cambodia and strengthen the capacity of court officials to establish policies for the electronicisation of court administration.
This training course was designed to 1)- provide a reference to Korean experiences for Cambodia’s legal and judicial sector, 2)- assist in the improvement and modernisation of the court administration system, 3)- help reinforce responsibility and ethical awareness of legal and judicial officials.
The Cambodian participants also prepared a country report by analysing the current issues and major challenges the country is facing. It is part of the Action Plan building process in which participants will get involved throughout the training programme.
In addition, the participants will also develop an action plan by incorporating the lectures, discussion, experiences and findings from the programme. The Action Plan is a crucial programme activity that provides participants the opportunity to compose a practical and feasible action plan to provide alternatives as well as solutions to the problems identified in the country report.
KOICA conducted this online training course, considering that it would be challenging to conduct an invitational training programme in the Republic of Korea this year due to the COVID-19 situation.
In Cambodia, KOICA works in several technical areas on various programmes and projects that substantially impact Cambodia’s development such as improving students’ nutrition and wellbeing, strengthening teacher capacity, public health, agriculture and health’s infrastructure, and innovation.
KOICA will continue to support and implement programmes in Cambodia that target the development of human resources.
From 1994 until 2020, KOICA invited around 3,200 governmental officers to participate in short-term trainings and Master’s degree programmes in the Republic of Korea under KOICA’s Capacity Building Programme.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Press

Over 64 Million sqm of Mine-contaminated Land Saved in First Seven Months

Mine clearance operations have saved more than 64.5 million square metres of land from landmines and explosive remnant of war (ERW) in the first seven months of this year, according to Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC).
The figure represents 98.60 percent of the seven-month plan, said H.E Heng Ratana, Director General of CMAC, in a meeting held on Aug. 30.
Some 31,665 landmines and ERW have been found and destroyed during the period, he added.
At the same time, CMAC has also raised awareness of around 600,000 people over the danger of landmine and ERW.
Cambodia has set a goal to become a mine-free nation by 2025.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Press