PHNOM PENH: As schools across the country began the 2023-2024 school year on December 1, Prime Minister Hun Manet announced the launch of a clean school campaign and the inclusion of morality and ethics as part of the curriculum.

The Clean School Competition is part of the Ministry of Education’s larger effort to make schools a model of standards at the country deals with its waste management issues. In September, the Ministry of Environment debuted its No Plastic Bags campaign which aims to educate students and the public on the overall effects of plastic waste.

The PM said his administration’s policies aim to make schools a highly effective public service entity, with good governance that is accountable to people and communities. The first phase of the government’s Pentagon Strategy focuses on "strengthening the quality of education, sports, science and technology" and "improving the quality of education with a focus on K-12.”

The PM is also calling for moral education to be a core subject for exams. He said that students will be rated on a scale of 80% knowledge, 10% skills and 10% on morality and ethics.

Under the policy of "Partnership between the state and the community for education," the government wants to strengthen school governance, review and revise curricula and extracurricular activities and improve students' health, knowledge, discipline, ethics and attitudes.