Five Abandoned Primary Schools in Battambang City Face Collapse After 40 Years

Five primary school sites in Battambang city have been left abandoned and unused for nearly 40 years, with some buildings in a state of near collapse, according to observations. These locations remain on the asset inventory list of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport. The schools in question have small premises, with each site not exceeding approximately 300 square meters. Most of the school buildings consist of only 3 to 4 rooms. Some of these schools were temporarily utilized after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, while others repurposed old buildings dating back to the French colonial era. Mr. Ree Sokha, an official in charge of planning, statistics, and state property at the Battambang City Office of Education, stated that there are no clear plans yet for the repurposing of the Nam Krib and Prek Ta Ton primary schools in Prek Preah Sdech commune. He mentioned that the City Office of Education had previously inspected these two locations with the idea of constructing a new city education office. However, due to the small size of the premises, which were not conducive to construction, they decided to select a plot of land behind the Prek Preah Sdech Primary School instead. Speaking to "Kampuchea Thmey" on the morning of September 13, 2026, Mr. Yi Songky, Director of the Battambang Provincial Department of Education, Youth, and Sport, confirmed that there are a total of five primary school sites that have been unused for decades. Two of these are located in Prek Preah Sdech commune, and the other three are in Tuol Ta Aek and Sla Ket communes. Mr. Yi Songky clarified that the Department of Education has not abandoned these sites and is considering plans for their reuse, particularly the possibility of converting them into community kindergartens, and may seek approval from higher authorities if feasible. He further elaborated that converting these sites to other functions also presents difficulties due to their small and cramped areas, and that some of the buildings have been left unused for nearly 40 years, leading to severe deterioration and fragility. Meanwhile, residents living around these school sites have expressed concerns about the safety of children, prohibiting them from playing in or near the dilapidated school buildings due to the risk of collapse. Some of the French colonial-era buildings have brick walls and structural parts that are severely damaged and crumbling. Residents have voiced their support for projects that could bring these sites back into use, especially for educational and community purposes, to prevent them from remaining idle and unused.