Cambodian / Myanmar Voices ...: Commune Schools …

During the past two months I’ve visited a number of Commune schools (Bousra, Srae Ompoom, Buchi Ri Communes); observed classes in action; met, listened, discussed, exchanged ideas (and more) with partners in Penchr Chenda, Ou Reang and Sen Monorom Districts.

Giving a lesson

It is evident that some schools are better equipped than others. Schools that were better equipped and had latrines, rain-water harvest, proper sanitation, breakfast and dental programs, appeared to care more about their school. Even the school grounds were clean and were free of garbage. School walls inside and out had painted pictures of 'One day in the life of a Cambodian …' There seemed to be a sense of pride!

Children at play

Gymnastics anyone?

Other Commune Schools … where roads are treacherous and hard to reach … were not as well provided for and infrastructure poorly maintained. The Ministry of Education regulated by the CPP government (Cambodia People’s Party) allocates the Communes just enough money to build a school. Basically the ‘shell’ of a school is built on a Commune lot. It is not the Ministry’s responsibility to provide the school with the ‘extras’ (which we would consider to be the 'basics' in the West). The school is built on a plot of land and there are no considerations as to whether a well or a bore hole can be built in close vicinity to the school in order to relatively have ‘easy’ access to water.

Children's Art

My Khmer colleague and I are in the process of building capacity -working closely with Bunong / Cham partners who know the system well here in Mondul Kiri Province to assess and identify their needs Also, to provide and assist Commune Schools with a 'healthy living' and a 'breakfast' programme.

Children at work

However, before we go ahead with the work and get approval from the Commune Chief and the Community, our strategy is to continue to focus on capacity building. Our best approach is to continue to observe and to listen to the people’s concern; listen to what they have to say, listen to what the people want us to do. In the end, is to take action when the time is right to provide meaningful services that make sense to the village people. Undoubtedly, this may be a long process. My Volunteer Assistant (VA) told me when I hired him as my translator that ‘It’s very important to eat, drink and socialize with the community before anyone begins to work with them’. Understandably so.

Commune School

Added to this; when we first arrived in Cambodia, a VSO volunteer and her accompanied partner who had been living in Cambodia for 3 years, remarked ‘It takes a full year to immerse yourself in the culture, language and the local community. It takes another year –a second year to be productive and work with the people'.

More later ...

In all the schools I had visited -children were well behaved, humble and happy.