CPP Launches 27th Cadre Political Education Course

The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) held the opening ceremony for its 27th session of the Level 2 political education course for party cadres on September 7, 2024, at the 7 January Palace in Phnom Penh. The event was presided over by Mam Sarin, a permanent member of the CPP Central Committee and Chief of the Central Committee's Cabinet. Esteemed guests included Tak Sun E, a permanent member of the Central Committee and Chairman of the Propaganda and Education Commission, along with deputy heads of various institutions under the Central Committee. In his capacity as Chief of the Central Committee's Cabinet, Mam Sarin expressed his great pleasure in presiding over the opening of the 27th Level 2 political education course. He conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from the Party President, Honorary President, Vice Presidents, and all party leaders to the attendees. Mam Sarin elaborated on why CPP officials need to attend political courses. He defined "politics" in this context as the "methodology, art, or technique" of governing and managing the state. Therefore, he stressed the necessity for officials to understand the party's political outlook, stance, principles, and policies, which are all theories and methodologies related to the party's state governance. He further explained that attending these political courses aims to provide officials with a strong basis of confidence in the party's leadership, enhance their capabilities and virtues, and enable them to perform their duties effectively, particularly by actively participating in the implementation of the party's political program at each stage. He noted that the party has prioritized political education since the era of the struggle for independence, through the struggle for national liberation, and from the victory day of January 7, 1979, to the present. Following the Paris Peace Agreements until 2015, the party primarily organized courses to disseminate information and discuss important party affairs without a systematic curriculum. However, since mid-2015, the Central Committee's Propaganda and Education Commission has resumed systematic courses. To date, 91 Level 1 courses have been conducted, with provincial and ministerial institutions also organizing numerous additional Level 1 courses according to their specific needs. The Level 2 political education course, which commenced in May 2023, has now reached its 27th session, including the current course being attended. Mam Sarin affirmed that the party leadership at all levels assesses the opening of these political education courses as a response to the demands of strengthening and consolidating the party in the new circumstances of Cambodia. He also mentioned that the participating trainees have expressed their satisfaction with attending both levels of these political courses. Regarding the Level 2 course, which includes lessons on the philosophy of "Dialectical Materialism," Mam Sarin stated that Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Party President, pays great attention to this subject. The Prime Minister has previously remarked that while party officials, as successors, have acquired various specialized skills from numerous countries worldwide, they should also receive additional training in scientific thinking methods to facilitate their work together. To ensure that the political education courses achieve the expected excellent results, Mam Sarin offered several recommendations: 1. The Central Committee's Propaganda and Education Commission, responsible for managing the courses, must diligently fulfill its duties and effectively resolve any issues related to the political education courses. 2. All instructors are highly capable and competent, able to generously share their knowledge and experience with the trainees. 3. All trainees should focus their attention on learning, adhere to the internal regulations and discipline of the course with a spirit of vigilance and high responsibility, worthy of their status as good party officials. This will ensure good learning outcomes, enabling them to utilize the knowledge and experience gained to serve the nation, the people, and the party even better. 4. Everyone should pay attention to maintaining physical and mental health, fostering friendship and solidarity among trainees, between the course management and instructors, and between instructors and trainees, as well as with the administrative staff, all in a spirit of understanding and harmony. Mam Sarin expressed his belief that the current political education course will undoubtedly yield excellent results in line with its objectives and requirements, further contributing to the strengthening of the party's core cadres.