Follow-up to an Unusual Day ...

There will be NO middle-man ...  

Taking a pause after harvesting Cassava

Bunong lady

Mondolkiri Province is a large and sparsely populated rural Province that borders Vietnam.   It’s home to the Bunong people – the indigenous people who have lived here for many years.  Some of the Bunong people practice their traditional semi nomadic lifestyle living off the forest through hunting, collecting fruits and plants.

However, more and more Bunongs have chosen a different lifestyle.   They have settled and established small communes with smallholdings producing rice, cassava, vegetables and life stock.    

Bunong Students minding their younger siblings whilst at school

Usually, these communes have a small school with 2 to 6 classrooms and 50 to 200 students.  Students are taught from grades 1 to 6.   However, Student attendance drops off greatly at the later grade levels because children are required to either help collect produce from the forest or grow produce on the farm.  Teachers in these schools are typically Bunong and have a grade 9 Education.   

Bunong teacher teaching with her son

Teachers in these remote schools have been dependent on receiving their salary from the DOE via the POE.  Now very recently the government has decided that teachers will be paid their salary directly into their own personal bank account.   In early February 2014 ACLEDA bank staff were busy in the schools opening bank accounts for the teachers.

Throughout Mondolkiri Province, teachers will now be able to travel to Sen Monorom or to ACLEDA ‘apartment’ banks to withdraw their money.

February 19, 2014, Teachers were interviewed and were asked how they felt about having their own bank account.   See below answers from teachers and school directors:

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“VSO/Cuso International has helped with you getting a bank account by working closely and advising the government: the Ministry of Education.  VSO /Cuso International would like to know how you feel about this - getting your own bank account?” 

Krob Khna – Bunong Teacher

Are you excited that you now have a bank account?

“Yes I’m excited to have a new bank account.   I can get my salary anytime I want.  It is much easier to get my salary from the bank”.   

Sadin Sreymao – Bunong Teacher 

“Yes, I’m happy to have a bank account. In fact, I’m very excited because the State –the government has made it mandatory for all teachers to open a bank account to secure their money” .  

Kroye Chet  - Khmer School Director

Is having a bank account important for you?  Why?

“Yes, because when I go to the DOE in Bousra to collect  my money, I’m never sure if I’m going to receive  it.  The DOE doesn’t always have my salary.  I have to wait many months for the DOE in Bousra to pay me because the DOE didn’t collect  my salary from the POE in Sen Monorom”. 

“This is a very long process and during the monsoon season we are not able to reach Bousra because the roads are not good to travel”.

“Now I can go directly to Sen Monorom and collect my money from the bank”.

“This is how the system works: 

-       The POE goes to the Provincial Bank in Sen Monorom to take the money out.

-       The POE contacts the DOE in Bousra to let him know that the teachers’ salary is at his office.

-       The DOE goes to the POE in Sen Monorom to collect the teachers’ salary.

-       The DOE contacts each school directors to inform the teachers that the money is waiting for them in Bousra.”     

Sarun Seyen – Bunong Teacher

Does it make you feel respected by your family, friends, community  now that you have a bank account?

“Yes!  My family, my parents and my community are so proud that I now have a new ACLEDA account.  It gives me a sense of pride”. 

Neyso Kon– Bunong Teacher 

“Yes, I feel respected more than before because my family told me that the DOE will not ‘cut’ my money anymore.   My family is very happy for me that I will have a bank account.  They will not worry about me anymore.  They will know that my salary is in the bank and will not be ‘cut’ [and will be secured] by the bank”.    

Yun  Sokhun – Khmer School Director

“Yes. My friends,  my family, my community ask me ‘where are you going?’  I tell them,  ‘I’m going to ACLEDA bank to get money’.  People respect me because of this”. 

Tun Oeung and Khay Tola - Khmer Teachers

Do you expect to receive a full salary?  How will you know?

“When I get my salary at the DOE in Boursra, there is a list of names and salaries posted on the wall.    Now, the government will put our  money directly in our bank account.  
There will be ‘NO’ middle man”.

Sarun Seyen – Bunong Teacher 

“Yes.  I listen to the radio.  The government announced that all teachers throughout Cambodia will receive a ‘full’ salary.  No one can ‘cut’ their salary”.

Bunong Teachers

What are the benefits to you  both with having a bank account?

“When my money is in the bank it will grow”.

 “I know about interest because I read the ACLEDA document the bank people gave me.  I read the bank document  ‘very carefully’ and I found out that my money can grow”.

Neyso Kon – Bunong Teacher

“When I keep my money in the bank it has ‘security’ and I can also get interest.  I heard it from my sister.  My sister has a bank account’

Yun  Sokhun – Khmer School Director

“ When I go to my homeland ‘Tae Kaev Province’  I can withdraw my money from there also”.   

Yoy Bora and Roeun Len - – Bunong Teachers

“There is benefit for me.  I spend less money to travel to Sen Monorom.   Sometimes we have to call the DOE in Boursra to ask ‘where are you?’"

‘Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t work’. 

With the bank, I know I can count on my money to be there.  I don’t have to wait for anyone to give me my salary”.   

“My salary is more safe and secure.  I will spend less money, less time for travel”.

Khay Tola – Khmer School director

Where will you withdraw your money from?    “Sen Monorom”.       “It will be much easier than travelling to Boursra  ‘’The road condition to Bousra is treacherous. It’s rutted and dusty in the dry season and slippery during the monsoon season!”   

Khong - Khmer Teachers

When will your bank account be opened?    “April 1^st , 2014”.    

When will your first salary be deposited?   “The POE will inform all teachers / school directors”        

How often will you receive your money?    “Once a month”. 

 Let Savy – VSO Volunteer Translator /Khmer Language Teacher

Savy my VA (who is also a teacher for the States) was responsible in translating the interviews with the teachers.     “I think that it’s good for the teachers to have a bank account because they can spend less time, and less money to get their salary.  Teachers can be more independent and if they want to save money and earn interest then they can”. 

‘’The road condition to Bousra is treacherous. It’s rutted and dusty in the dry season and slippery during the monsoon season!”   

Bunong students paying close attention to their Bunong lesson

*Photos were taken with the teachers/school directors permission to up load on any website or to be printed in newspapers or news letters.

More later :)