AKP Phnom Penh, February 27, 2025 --

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet made here this afternoon a clarification to the misinformation on his public speech on Wednesday over the education reform in the country. 
“Yesterday (Feb. 26), I announced the suspension of modern learning centres (MLC) in some primary and secondary schools. But, there is a misunderstanding between MLC and the new generation schools (NGS),” he said at the closing ceremony of the Ministry of Tourism’s annual meeting. 
“I would like to clarify that there is neither cancellation nor closure of NGS, but instead we continue to support it. The NGS are run by the state […], but what I decided to close is the MLC [at public schools],” he said. 
Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister explained the difference between the NGS and MLC. NGS has no different standard. The teaching principle, teachers and curriculum are the same while the students also learn together in the same classes. 
In contrast, he continued, MLC is a model of teaching programme operating according to the BoT (Build, Operate, Transfer) formula of a private company in the public schools. The students learn in separate buildings with different teaching facilities even in the same school with the same teachers. 
“This programme has created two standards in a single school, especially between the students who pay and those who don’t, therefore I would like the parents and teachers to see this inequality,” the Premier said. 
According to Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister, MLC model has been piloted at about 18 public schools. Some have been applying the programme for already a few years, while others have just started it. 

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet added that before this programme is suspended, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports will work on this case by case in order to make sure that all the students can adapt back to the state education standard. 

By Heng Panha