Phnom Penh: Prime Minister Hun Sen has congratulated teachers and students for returning to secondary schools in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. He took to Facebook on Wednesday afternoon to talk about his decision to launch vaccinations on Friday for children aged between 6 and 12.

He says the decision aims to guarantee the right to life, the right to healthcare and the right to education. The Prime Minister posted: “If we cannot reopen primary schools for our children, it is like losing the foundations of our education system. In addition, vaccinating children from 6 years of age is also part of the fight against Covid-19, as it will lead to herd immunity”, with more than 80% of the community having received at least one dose of vaccine. Just over 71% of the population is now fully-vaccinated, with booster shots now also being rolled out.

The Prime Minister and his wife received their booster shots on Tuesday morning, with a third dose of AstraZeneca. He says he was ordered to rest by doctors for 30 hours and was back at work on Wednesday afternoon. He says he has a lot of work to do this week, with one of his most important jobs being securing the future of Cambodia’s children and their education.