Strengthening primary education in Cambodia

A regional program in Battambang Province, Cambodia is supporting children to access new and exciting education opportunities. ChildFund is working with local partners to attract new students, build child-friendly schools and provide children with the education they need to become empowered individuals.

This program is strengthening the capacity of school principals and school support committee to ensure they can support the school in proving quality education for children in the community. The program works with the school leadership team and with top-level education staff from the Ministry of Education.

They established a young student council to support the school leadership to manage business activities. Together they organise arts and sports activities, learn first aid, assist with waste management and find ways inform their fellow students of key issues, particularly around the COVID-19 pandemic.

“[The] capacity building supported by ChildFund-Educo, motivated and encouraged me with the role. So far, I was not confident to communicate with outsiders at all. But with the knowledge I get from participating in the trainings and leadership workshops, my self-confidence improved and leading me to communicate well with communities, to implement the policy from national level and to be able to make a confident decision with participation,” said Sambath, Principal of Wat Cheng Primary School.

Wat Cheng Primary School is one of 26 schools involved in the program. To date, the project is has reached 10,000 children in the Battambang Province, has built one new library building and renovated 12 classroom libraries.

Now the school leadership team of Wat Cheng primary school can take strong leadership roles in the development of their school. “Through training provided by ChildFund-Educo, we work together smoothly and be able to deal with any issue faced. We were able to raise fund from community now. Hand-washing station at the school entrance, for example, was built from community contribution to make sure their children stay safe at school during the pandemic,” Sambath continued.

Sambath established a parent’s group to improve the relationship between the school and the community. This has provided them with the opportunity to be school owner, meaning that parents can manage the decoration and maintaining a classroom. This means parents are involved in supporting a safe learning environment.

Sambath and his team are leading fundraising efforts to improve the school. Over the next five years, he wants to equip the school with a computer lab, laptops for teachers, security cameras and resources for art, music and English classes.

“The project was mainly to make sure all children from all background are in school, received high quality education especially be able to read well. We also focus on school environment and facilities and build foundation for students from grade 1 to 3,” said Ly A, Battambang Provincial Manager of ChildFund Cambodia.

“We work as partnership with local authorities and parents to increase school enrollment, work with department of education to build capacity of school principals and school support committees for school leadership and management, we build library and equip with state-of-the-art reading resources including tablet, provide training to librarian, teachers on teaching methodology, recruit reading coach and young tutor to help fell-behind students on reading improvement,” continued Ly A.

Sopheaney, 13 years old, is president of student council of Wat Cheng primary school. She said “I am happy to share knowledge to younger students. Sometimes, I need to be patient as they are low learner, I need to teach same things many times.” Sopheaney is also one of the 27 young tutors in schools to support her fellow students.

“She teaches me very well and I like studying with her as we are like sisters, while learning with teacher I am a bit scared,” said Vimean, 8 years old, one student that Sopheaney tutors.