12th Annual High School Commencement organized by Cambodian Reconciliation Committee, Inc. in Fresno, California

Cambodian Reconciliation Committe, Inc.: 11th Annual High School Commencement in Fresno, California

High Schools Underprepared for High Tech: Expert

(Photo: AP)

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Wednesday, 15 September 2010

“How can students be obliged to learn the ICT without those facilities? It’s useless.”

When it comes to information technology curriculum, high schools have a long way to go.

“The lack of electricity and computer sets in schools is a main obstacle for the implementation of the use of ICT in senior high school education,” Kheng Piseth, Khmer OS program manager at the Open Institute, told “Hello VOA” on Monday.

“How can students be obliged to learn the ICT without those facilities?” he said. “It’s useless.”

In 2009, the Ministry of Education began developing an information communication technology, or ICT, program as a new subject for students in grades 11 and 12. The hope was to equip them with skills for their advanced education.

The new program was initially planned to kick off later this year. But only 80 of the nation's 383 high schools have computer access—with only 25 computers in some and only one in others—according to government figures. Only about half of the schools have electricity.

Meanwhile, around 100,000 students are enrolled in high schools across the country.

The ministry acknowledges its scheme has been hard to achieve in the short run.

“We cannot expect to implement it soon,” said Sok Tha, head of the ministry's ICT education department, who is in charge of the new subject. “But we may start the new subject as an alternative subject for students whose schools are already electrified and equipped with computers.”

Kheng Piseth said it is a good idea to start teaching ICT in already-equipped schools, but he added that all the necessary infrastructure for the new program should be ensured.

“Students with strong ICT skills are more likely to enter job markets than those without them,” he said.

Tor Kim Sy, top finishing high school student in Cambodia in 2010

Tor Kim Sy, an outstanding student who achieved the topmost score in the final high school exam test in all of Cambodia in 2010 (Photo: Orm Uddom, RFA)

07 Sept 2010
By Orm Uddom
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

KI-Media Note: Kim Sy, good luck with your study in Germany! We hope you will be as successful there as you are now. We are extremely proud of you!

Tor Kim Sy is a student who passed her finishing high school exam with the topmost scores among 80,000 other candidates in the country for this year.

Among the 80,000 students who take the final high school exam this year, Ms. Tor Kim Sy was the student with the highest score in the country.

18-year-old Kim Sy studied at the 10 Makara high school in Siem Reap city, Siem Reap province. The reasons this A-student was able to achieve her impressive scores was her dedication to study, her able teachers and her family pushing her.

In order to achieve her success, Kim Sy spent 10 hours a day to study. She indicated that she spent most of her time studying and had little spare time for entertainment.

She spent 7 extra hours per day to attend extra lessons on top of the 4 hours she spent each day at school. There were 5 topics which she took additional lessons on: 2 hours of math which she took lessons from 2 different teachers, 2 hours of chemistry which she took with 2 different teachers as well, 1 hour of physics, 1 hour of Khmer language, and 1 hour of professional training. In summary, she spent 11 hours per day studying. In addition to the topics above, she also spent a lot of time memorizing lessons in history, geography, earth science and morality, etc… as well.

She explained that the reason she took extra classes was because the number of hours provided by the state high school are simply not sufficient enough for her to obtain the necessary skills to pass her exam.

Kim Sy was born in Siem Reap city, she is the fourth child in a family with 6 children. Her family lives in a row house near the old market (Phsar Chas), in Mondul 1 village, Svay Dangkum commune, Siem Reap city. She completed her elementary schooling at Stung Thmei Elementary school then she continued her study at Angkor Junior high school. Her parents run a currency exchange business near Phsar Chas, Siem Reap city. Unlike other parents who pushed their children to help them in their businesses, Kim Sy’s parents did not follow this path.

Tor Hong, Kim Sy’s father, explained that the reason he encouraged his children to study like this was because, in the past, he asked his eldest daughter to end her schooling to help him with his business. Later on, he regretted very much this decision because she did not have proper education that would provide her with a decent living in the future, all that she can do now is being a small merchant in the market.

Tor Hong said that it was mistake not to let his daughter complete her education. He said that only education is the true wealth that his children can carry on with their life.

Kim Sy said that, sometimes, her parents are very busy with work, but they never wanted her to stop studying and come to help them: “… at this point in life, there is no point in trying to be greedy for money, we must thrive with education. If successful in education, in the future, we will have a bright future.”

Following the announcement of the exam results, Kim Sy received the topmost score in math and for this reason, she immediately received a scholarship from a German university to study there.

Sok Touch, the principal of the Khemarak high school, indicated that through his contact with the German university, Kim Sy will be able to pursue undergraduate and graduate math studies in Germany.

Sok Touch said: “She can choose a university in Cambodia, but as we know, people who have the opportunity and good development, we should let them look at another world, an outside world, so that they can use their [overseas] education to develop our country. We help people who have the ability to grow, we must open our heart wide to allow the opportunity for the younger generation…”

Besides studying, Kim Sy indicated that she also knows English and French well also. Her knowledge of the Thai language is also useful.

Kim Sy indicated that, following her completion of her graduate studies overseas, she will return back to share her education for the younger generations and, in the future, she wants to become a professor at a university in Cambodia.

Students Embark on Japan-Asean Exchange

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 April 2009

Twenty Cambodian high school delegates left for Japan Monday, participants of a 10-day exchange trip with other Southeast Asian students.

In a program sponsored by the Japanese government, top students from high schools in Kampot and Takeo provinces and Phnom Penh were chosen by their directors to take place in the program.

“This program is very important for the Cambodian youth to exchange experience, culture, traditions, and customs among Asean youth and Japanese youth, for development and peace,” Phan Sokim, director-general of the Ministry of Education, said.

“All the Cambodian delegates need knowledge, understanding and experience from Asean countries and Japan, to develop themselves and the country,” Phan Sokim said. “This program is a high-value opportunity—a golden opportunity, a diamond opportunity—for the future of Cambodia’s youth.”

The students will visit sites and local communities in Japan, participating in “various exchange events with Japanese youth and citizens, including home-stays, school visits and workshop[s],” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement.

“When I arrive in Japan, I will know how the Japanese live, their cultures, traditions and customs and other experiences from Japan,” Kampot high school student Hem Reach Sovann, 17, told VOA Khmer ahead of his trip Monday.

“I want to know what the differences are in the education systems of the two countries,” he said. “I also can bring some experience of modern technology from Japan to tell my schoolmates.”

Koy Vichny, 17, a delegate from Takeo province, said she would show other students aspects of Angkor Wat and ancient Khmer dance.

“I hope that I can get some experience and culture and knowledge from those countries too,” she said.