Education Ministry, ADB to Probe Textbook Theft

31 December 2013
The Cambodia Daily
Aid and development / Anti-corruption / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Crime and law enforcement / Education and training / Education policy and administration / Government / Law and judiciary / Laws and regulations / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports / Multilateral development assistance / Social development
ADB / Asian Development Bank (ADB) / Hang Chuon Naron / Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron / Ministry of Education

The Education Ministry and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Monday that they had begun a joint investigation into the misappropriation of textbooks intended for secondary school students under an ADB-funded scheme. Two NGOs on Thursday released results of an investigation into 33 secondary schools, which showed that district-level education officials were pilfering stocks of ADB-funded textbooks—intended to be provided to students directly and free of charge—and selling them in bookstores and markets. Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said Monday that media reports on Friday alerted him to the issue. He said there would be a thorough investigation into the matter if the NGOs’ allegations proved true. “If we identify that education officials are taking textbooks and selling them, we will take action,” Mr. Chuon Naron said.

 Matt Blomberg and Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/education-ministry-adb-to-probe-textbook-theft-49779/