More than 50,000 children still displaced as war damage shuts schools

PHNOM PENH, Jan 12, 2026 (KPT) — More than 50,000 Cambodian children remain displaced as war damage and unexploded ordnance continue to block families from returning home, forcing dozens of schools across seven border provinces to stay closed despite a ceasefire with Thailand, officials said Monday.

The interior ministry said 1,880 displaced persons returned between January 11 and 12, but nearly 160,000 people — including 51,997 children and 83,249 women — remain in camps nationwide.

Authorities warned the mass displacement has severely affected children’s education, mental health, housing rights and livelihoods. Many families who tried to return were forced back after finding homes destroyed or contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

Across seven provinces — Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pursat, Koh Kong and Siem Reap — dozens of schools remain shuttered. In Preah Vihear, 61 schools and 14 health centres are closed. In Oddar Meanchey, 40 schools and seven health centres remain shut. In Banteay Meanchey, five schools and one health centre are still closed.

Since December 7, authorities have recorded damage to 336 houses, 25 schools, nine health centres, 42 government buildings, 17 pagodas, five bridges and dozens of roads.

Officials said recovery remains slow, with 84 villages still inaccessible in Oddar Meanchey alone. The government reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful resolution and to restoring essential services for displaced communities.