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Cambodia: Cambodia students voice on higher education project

2011/02/21

As he emerges from a conference hall in his student uniform of grey shirt and black trousers, Cheng Sothai says tutoring gives him three things: “Prime, it raises my awareness of new ideas, both in the formal and informal development sector. Second, it tells me new strategies to improve the education sector. Third, it introduces me to the education sector’s challenges.”

Sothai was part 2,500 high school students, university students, lecturers, civil society representatives, youth association members, and government officials who participated in a Student Talk Series discussing the Higher Quality Education and Capacity Improvement Project (HQECIP). The project is supported by the World Bank and aims to improve the quality of teaching, management and research capacity, and provide 1,000 scholarships to disadvantaged students. The series took place in provinces: Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, and Battambang, from October 22 to 28, 2010.

Sothai, a Western University student in Kampong Cham, says the presentation surprised him by raising his awareness of the education field in Cambodia.

In similar vein to Sothai, Ms Vong Sreymich, a student of Mean Chey University, says, “I learned a lot from this session. Prime, it gives us, the younger generation, additional awareness on education quality. Second, we have the luck to ask about what we are studying and subjects we are taking, so that we can improve capacity building for the development of the country.”

An extra female student, Ms Srey Mach, a student at the University of Management and Economics in Sihanoukville, is noncommittal on whether the conference has been good or bad. But she says, “Though it was completely broad, I learned a lot. I can learn about data that I need for my studies, inclunding my work.”

The session ended with fruitful results. Participants, particularly high school students, asked numerous relevant questions. Chiev Sokkom, a female student from Samdech Ov High School in Banteay Meanchey province, asks, “We know the Cambodian education sector is pretty weak. So what are your suggestions on how it can be improved?”

A lot of questions were asked regarding scholarships, quality of education, job opportunities, self-development, and the benefits of the Higher Quality Education and Capacity Improvement Project.

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