A/HRC/45/51/Add.1 development but also preserve their identity, culture and language. These special education programs serve as bridge for ethnic minority and indigenous students to be able to acquire education via both their mother tongue and official Khmer language at the early grade level. In addition, the new curriculum framework provides students not only knowledge, skills, attitude and physical health but also instil in them the 21st-century skills and values including critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, inter-cultural understanding, team work, leadership, respect of diversity, patriotism, and non-discrimination spirit. Paragraph 46 76. We noted the concern of the Special Rapporteur relating the rights of ethnic Vietnamese to work in garment factories due to their lack of proficiency in the Khmer language. However, we would like to clarify that Article 12 of the Labor Law strictly prohibits employers from all forms of discrimination, including the race, when they make a decision on hiring of any workers. 77. Article 12 of the Labor Law states that “ [… no employer shall consider on account of race, colour, sex, creed, religion, political opinion, birth, social origin, membership of workers ‘union or the exercise of union activities to be the invocation in order to make a decision on hiring…].” 78. Furthermore, Article 1 of the Labor Law also specifies that “This law governs relations between employers and workers resulting from employment contract to be performed within the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia, regardless of where the contract was made and what the nationality and residences of the contracted parties are.” 79. Based on these provisions, the Ethic Vietnamese and other foreigners have the rights to work in Cambodia and enjoy the same rights and benefits under the Labor Law like the Cambodian workers. Proficiency in Khmer language is not a pre-requirement for the employment. Paragraph 53 80. The Ministry of Education agrees with the report that “…as happened in many countries, parents, guardians and students were not prepared for an overnight move to homeschooling and remote higher education study.” 81. E-learning is not too new for Cambodia as the Ministry of Education has been mainstreaming digital education as part of its Education Strategic Plan (2019-2023) to respond to the national plan for digital economy. “Digital Education” was made the title of the 2019 Education Congress. Although COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted all sectors of the society, the Ministry of Education has transformed this challenge into opportunity by setting out multiple mechanisms aiming at both preventing the spread of the virus and swiftly fostering digital education in a national scope. 82. Prevention Intervention: 1) care for well-being of children in which the intervention focus on sanitation training for parents, how to reduce risk, the promotion of hand-washing and good nutrition; 2) psychological well-being by way of explanation to the students during the lockdown, stress reduction and affection sharing within the families and communities; 3) information dissemination on social media to educate students and parents to help promote sanitation, language development and intellectual development; 4) the introduction of cartoon on literacy and happy family on how to promote prevention and key practices. 83. Continuation of Education: The Ministry of Education took the initiative to develop multiple e-learning platforms and produce video contents for all grade levels (K-12 and higher education) and all subjects. The introduction of video contents via various e-learning platforms and social medias was conducted in parallel with teacher training nationwide on how to use those e-learning platforms and distance learning tools. To date, MoEYS have been able to complete both content development and teacher training nationwide. 84. With the public and private partnerships, MoEYS managed to establish satellite TV for Education in order to expand the access, especially for those in the remote areas with little access to the internet connection. 15

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