(Video) Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on the Ninth National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Day – 2026 under the theme “TVET provides skills, jobs and income” [Unofficial Translations]
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(1) Health, knowledge and skills, and employment or careers build human resources into a vital asset for the nation
[…] (In developing) human resources, we focus on three areas. First is health, second is knowledge and skills, and third is employment or careers. To build human resources into a vital asset for the nation, we must care for an individual’s health from early childhood until the end of their life. We must ensure that every citizen enjoys good health and serves as an asset to their family rather than a burden — because poor health creates a burden. Building job opportunities is crucial. Since the 1990s, the initial industries we pushed forward were garments and manufacturing, which required low skills. Now, we have evolved toward the automotive sector and technology-driven industries, and we will soon advance to IT. Therefore, it is imperative to develop human resources and create jobs that align (with these capacities and market evolution) […]
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(2) New pathway for those failed to advance to upper secondary education to seize opportunities for further and continuous training
[…] We do not want young people to drop out of school and be left without choices. We see that each year, a great number of students fail the lower secondary school exams and cannot advance to upper secondary school — or what we refer to as the Bac II (Baccalaureate) level. If they lack the opportunity or the means to acquire a skill, or if we fail to build their technical skills and provide a bridge for them to move forward […] their level of knowledge and capability will remain stuck at the Grade 9 level until they are 60 years old. We cannot leave them in this situation. It shouldn’t be necessary to finish Grade 12 before being routed into training that serves our industries. We must push to implement this new pathway quickly, rather than leaving behind our human resources failing to advance to upper secondary education, so they can seize opportunities for further and continuous training […]
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(3) Mobile training classrooms to bring training directly to people in villages, communes, and districts
I fully support the initiative to establish mobile training classrooms. Generally speaking, the mobile training classrooms’ goal is to push schooling down to the local level — bringing training directly to our people right in their villages, communes, and districts. This program helps resolve the challenges faced by some of our citizens and youth who have domestic responsibilities but can still find the time to study, without having to leave their homes to study in Phnom Penh or provincial towns. Currently, these mobile classes focus on eight skills, including air conditioning/refrigeration maintenance, business, and beverages—such as coffee brewing and other drinks.
In addition to creating schools and providing free tuition programs, the Royal Government has also introduced solutions for citizens from poor families who hold equity cards (poverty cards) by providing them with additional financial stipends. Even so, moving forward requires constant innovation to ensure our citizens, especially the youth, have even greater accessibility. Despite having stipends, some of our youth still find it difficult to balance their daily household duties with finding the time to come and study. Therefore, the Ministry is launching this mobile skills program — pushing this curriculum straight to their doorsteps and districts — and will pilot it very soon […]
(4) Training programs is not just for appearances or numbers, and quality attracts further enrollment.
(Furthermore), please pay close attention to quality. For all training programs, please do not let them be just for appearances or just about numbers […] Quality is what will attract further enrollment. If they go to study but come back knowing nothing new, no one will come to study in the future. (Firstly), we must focus on quality, alongside clearly preparing our teachers and lessons. Secondly, enforce discipline strictly […] Please do not fear falling short on quantities. If numbers are insufficient, then suspend the class. Wait and register students whenever they are going to be able to attend […] We cannot just say, for example, that this village reported there are 100 people (to take up the training) and 60 of them completed (the program), but when looking for actual people to work, none are found […]
(5) Finish the studies, master the skills, and match with viable employment
If the teacher is not sure of the lesson, the students will be even more unsure. Rather than opening five classes without enough teachers, do not open those student training sessions initially. Instead, open a ‘Training of Trainers’ (ToT) session […] Ensure the teachers are clearly trained first, with clear evaluation indicators. Otherwise, we will waste time, waste resources, teach off-target, and teach outside of capabilities […] these are our nation’s human resources. They must finish their studies, they must master the skills, and once trained, they must be matched with viable employment. That is the ultimate goals we want for TVET […]
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(6) Strengthening potential of Cambodia’s workforce to serve Cambodia’s own development is a priority
I would like to thank the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, relevant ministries and institutions, and capital-provincial authorities for helping to connect and especially integrate a great number of our citizens who returned from Thailand last year […] Strengthening the search for overseas job opportunities is neither an obstacle nor something to be restricted. However, the vital thing is strengthening the potential of Cambodia’s workforce to serve Cambodia’s own development as a priority […]
(7) Integration into global community demands even more that we sharpen our competitive edge
Cambodia has integrated into the global community […] and we have free trade agreements with countries, such as free trade mechanisms in Asia, ASEAN, and regionally like RCEP. Yet, we must acknowledge that these agreements merely open the gates to allow us the possibility of interconnecting with other markets. It does not mean that once opened, we are guaranteed to win without making efforts. On the contrary, integrating and interconnecting within international markets demands even more that we sharpen our competitive edge […]
(8) Cambodia’s logistics system remains limited, but we have productive human resources
Since previous mandates, under the leadership of Samdech Techo, reforms have continually been promoted to make economic policy, industrial policy, and all sectors more effective and efficient, improving work systems and encouraging investment attraction to Cambodia […] Without human resources, even if Cambodia had excellent infrastructure — and even if Cambodia dropped electricity prices to zero — no one would come to invest here. It is because of our efforts in training an adaptable workforce that we create our appeal, even though some of our infrastructure is not yet as competitive as other nations. Compared to certain countries, our logistics system remains limited, but we have human resources. And we don’t just have human resources because of low labor costs […] we have the productivity that allows us to transform from what used to be basic garment manufacturing into high-end brand production. Is it enough yet? Not yet. We must continue further […]
(9) Incorporating soft skills to cultivate mindset, way of thinking or self-motivation
Within our training programs, we have incorporated soft skills education […] The most important aspect is cultivating one’s mindset and way of thinking. Why is it that people graduate from the same school, having learned the same things, yet perform differently once they enter the workforce? The difference lies in their mindset and their approach to problem-solving. Whether you are a construction worker, an electrician, or an accountant, soft skills training focuses heavily on self-motivation — instilling an appreciation for the value of one’s own opportunities and the drive to work […]
(10) TVET is not a second-class education
The Royal Government, the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, and our teachers provide the classrooms, but the drive to come and study must come from within yourself. How much you seize from these one-month or two-week courses, and how much you absorb, depends entirely on you. How much you polish yourself until you become a diamond — and how brightly you shine — is up to you. We must refine our understanding and recognize that TVET is not second-class education. It holds the same value as pursuing a Bachelor’s degree or a Baccalaureate. Do not underestimate these skills […]
(11) Soft skills will uplift, enable to persevere, and utilize opportunities and reinvention
Whether we teach through mobile classrooms or in a traditional school, firstly, we must instill in them an understanding of the value of Soft Skills. Secondly, they must realize that while they are sitting here, there are so many people who have not had the opportunity to sit in this room — an opportunity that will transform their future […] Without self-motivation, recognizing the value of the opportunity, and making the effort to seize it, this TVET training will not inspire them to actively grasp the knowledge being taught.
We must persevere so that 10 years from now, TVET becomes a field that dismantles the misconception and the mindset that views it as a secondary skill or a ‘second-grade skill’ […] Our skills hold just as much value as anyone else’s. Do not think that just because these skills require more manual labor, they are somehow inferior to jobs where people sit in air-conditioned offices […] This is a legitimate skill, an honest skill, and one that helps drive our economy forward. Soft skills will uplift them, enabling them to persevere, utilize their opportunities, and reinvent themselves […]
(12) The core priority is sharpening understanding and promoting awareness of the value of Soft Skills, which is essential for the training to succeed
We want our youth to possess quality and hard-skill education […] I have observed that in the past, the Ministry of Labor (and Vocational Training) integrated Soft Skills training for workers before they went abroad. At the local level, even if we push training directly to the communities, if they do not understand the value of this education, or if they think that studying will only take them to this or that level […] then no one will show up to learn. Or, they might study without focusing, or fail to finish the program. The core priority is sharpening their understanding […] promoting awareness of the value of Soft Skills so that the community supports these trades, which is essential for the training to succeed. We must recognize that simply having a classroom, a curriculum, and a financial stipend does not automatically mean people will come to learn, nor does it guarantee they grasp the true value […]
(13) Finish the course, master the trade, and possess the actual capability to work requires teachers and school to be well prepared and students to put in the efforts
That value lies in understanding what they can achieve to build their own future […] working hard, fulfilling their duties, and driving themselves forward, whether in studying or in their career […] It is about motivation and shifting the mindset regarding how they approach their work. Some people with higher levels of education are not necessarily better at working than those with less formal schooling […] We must ensure they understand the value of the class they are currently taking, so that they finish the course, master the trade, and possess the actual capability to work upon graduation. It requires both sides – the teachers and schools must be fully prepared, and the students must put in the effort themselves […]
(14) Evaluation surveys of own performance should be conducted
Training the mindset is akin to boosting human productivity […] ‘Hard’ refers to technical skills, while ‘Soft’ represents personal skills […] This is a key point I want to emphasize regarding TVET […] we must ensure quality. We do not just want numbers […] We must conduct surveys to evaluate our own performance […] (Firstly), out of those 270,000 people, for example, how many secured jobs upon graduating actually […] Are the individuals we trained working in fields that match our targets? We need this data so we can formulate plans to strengthen the program […] Whichever courses yield low employment rates, we will modify, while reinforcing the lessons that are essential.
Secondly, which schools or which provinces is strong, from which these graduating students come, and did they match well with employment? When employers take them in, is our curriculum sufficient for their actual use requirement […] We must acknowledge that translating this vision into action is a highly positive step. In this endeavor, I would like to commend the Ministry of Labor (and Vocational Training) for organizing the plans, appointing the instructors, and managing the training — successfully reaching 270,000 people in accordance with the policy we set at the beginning of this mandate […]
(15) Regular assessments, checking quality of education across TVET curriculum, instructors, and standards is paramount
Please do not be afraid of discovering gaps or flaws while we are teaching. We must conduct evaluations to continuously make adjustment, ensuring that this education initiative expands from 270,000 to 1.5 million people, and becomes increasingly effective (and attractive) to subsequent cohorts. We must conduct regular, ongoing evaluations. Quality is the determining factor for success in human resource education and training […] TVET offers many new choices and fields of study […] Please carry out regular assessments so that we can monitor quality. QC/Quality Control — or checking the quality of education across our curriculum, instructors, and standards — is paramount […]
(16) RGC stands ready to provide maximum assistance to transform human resources into a driving force for the nation I appeal to our citizens and youth enrolled in TVET programs to remain dedicated and drive yourselves forward. I urge families not to harbor the mindset that studying TVET means taking low-level technical classes that hold less value than passing the Bac II high school exam or earning a bachelor’s degree. They hold equal value. The skills are simply different […] Any honest and righteous job possesses inherent worth, and it will sustain us, support our families, and aid our nation. This is the true value of TVET […] The Royal Government stands ready to provide maximum assistance to transform our human resources into a driving force for the nation […] The Royal Government has no plans to cut spending on the education and healthcare sectors; on the contrary, we plan to increase these budgets, even as we must concurrently strengthen our national defense sector […]./.
