Border conflict disrupts 2026 school year for students
Tamoan Seanchey Primary School damaged by Thai shelling in Oddor Meanchey province on August 1 last year. KT/Heng Chivoan
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Synopsis: While some schools have begun to reopen, online learning has been inadequate, forcing students to relocate to other provinces to continue their studies under the national curriculum.
The 2026 academic year for students in Cambodian schools along the Cambodian–Thai border has been severely disrupted by school closures and destruction caused by the Thai military invasion, leaving educational progress significantly behind that of schools outside the conflict zone.
Many schools in border areas were attacked or destroyed, while others remain closed as students and families fled from villages to seek safety. As a result, tens of thousands of children have been deprived of regular schooling under the national curriculum.
Koy Vanny, principal of Prey Chan Primary School in Banteay Meanchey province, said the school was almost completely destroyed during the invasion, forcing students to drop out and flee amid ongoing security threats. He said students from both Prey Chan Primary School and the nearby Chork Chey Primary School are currently sheltering in a temporary camp about 20 kilometres away.
“Fleeing the attacks has deprived students of the opportunity to study in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s national curriculum,” Vanny said. Since fighting erupted between December 7 and January 4, students in the camp had received no formal education.
Temporary classrooms are now being prepared under instructions from the Banteay Meanchey provincial administration, with classes scheduled to resume on Monday. However, education in the camps remains limited, with only Khmer language and mathematics being taught due to shortages of materials and teaching equipment.
Khon Kar, a Grade 12 student from O’Chrov district in Banteay Meanchey province, said all schools in her district were closed during the fighting and only recently reopened. She said many students lost learning opportunities, as online education was limited and did not cover all subjects. Some students relocated to Phnom Penh or other provinces to continue their studies in line with the national curriculum.
A report from the Ministry of Interior released Thursday showed that between 1pm and 6pm, 103,177 displaced people returned to their homes, while 409,186 people remained displaced, including 214,525 women and 131,413 children.
The report also noted that 321 schools in Banteay Meanchey province remain closed, with only nine reopened. In Preah Vihear province, all 61 affected schools remain closed, while in Oddar Meanchey province, 212 schools are still shut, while 48 have reopened. In Koh Kong province, 62 of 66 schools have resumed classes. At least 12 schools suffered direct infrastructure damage during the conflict.
According to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, as of December 25, 1,311 schools across Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Battambang, Siem Reap, and Koh Kong provinces were closed, affecting 15,034 teachers and more than 322,000 students. As of December 16, 6,388 displaced students had been temporarily enrolled in 1,633 schools in Phnom Penh and 20 other provinces.
The ministry temporarily suspended teaching and learning in the above six conflict-affected provinces.
UNICEF Cambodia said that as the year came to a close, it reflected on the urgent needs of children and families affected by displacement. With support from donors and partners, UNICEF provided essential services to help children continue learning despite the crisis and pledged to maintain assistance this year.
The Ministry of Interior reported that essential public services remain disrupted in several provinces. In Oddar Meanchey, 107 schools, 10 health facilities, and multiple administrative offices remain closed. In Banteay Meanchey, 321 schools and five health centres are still shut, while in Preah Vihear, 61 schools and 14 health facilities remain closed.
The ministry said it is coordinating with relevant institutions and local authorities to restore public services, facilitate the safe return of displaced residents, clear unexploded ordnance, assess damage to civilian infrastructure, and enforce a nationwide ban on unmanned aerial vehicles until further notice.
From December 7 to 27, Thailand expanded its military assaults on Cambodia beyond disputed areas, deploying infantry units supported by artillery, tanks, and armoured personnel carriers deep inside Cambodian territory, alongside airstrikes and naval attacks along the 800-kilometre shared border.
Airstrikes, artillery fire, and ground incursions destroyed bridges and schools, devastated residential neighbourhoods, and displaced more than half a million people. The attacks spread into major population centres, including Poipet and Serei Saophoan in Banteay Meanchey province; Preah Vihear in Preah Vihear province; Samraong in Oddar Meanchey province; and the coastal city of Khemarak Phoumint in Koh Kong province.
-Khmer Times-
