First school in Cambodia now open

We are happy to report that the first school build that we have funded through our partnership with United World Schools is now almost complete. The school was opened as soon as it was safe as the demand from the village was so high.

The school is located in the village of Kro Lorng, which is home to around 85 families, each with an average of 4-6 children. The aim is to equip all students to read, write and count in both their ethnic language and Khmer. The students will also receive some English education which will be useful for those who wish to seek jobs outside the village. This is gaining particular significance as farming diminishes in the area and the government sells the surrounding jungle to rubber plantations.

The school in Kro Long has three classrooms built around a central base and when full can hold around 200 children – there are plans to build a fourth classroom as enrolment increases. The school has one government funded teacher who United World Schools support with accommodation and training, and two community teachers. In time, there will also be a community librarian. The teachers were selected by the community and speak the ethnic language as well as some Khmer.

The school runs three classes at a time with children grouped by ability rather than age. The age of the students goes from around 4-15 years old.

The students also have a community library with books in Khmer and toys such as Lego and pens. The library is open even when the school isn't and is proving very popular as the children of the village have very few, if any, toys in their own homes.

There is also a new dorm accommodation block at the nearest secondary school, which is a number of hours travel away, so that students who excel and wish to continue their education can now have the opportunity to progress to the next stage.

To follow the progress of our partnership with United World Schools, visit the United World Schools page of the Kings Education website.