Study Tour to Kompong Chhnang

After having studied the theories of non-formal education, three classes of students from different sessions (morning, evening, and weekend) were given an opportunity to see the real practice of NFE, particularly the community learning center which is organized by the local authority in the commune which responds to the Cambodia’s national policy on NFE.

Led by teacher Sangvath, teacher Darin, and teacher Im Keun and supported by the university, we went to Kompong Chhnang province in which CLC management is evaluated to be the most successfully throughout the country. We witnessed the establishment and implementation of CLC in Teuk Phos district.

The study tour took place on Friday 27th August, 2010. There were 43 participants, 12 of whom are from my weekend class, studying with teacher Darin. The bus was planned to leave from UC at 6 a.m., but it was finally delayed by a student (Bong Sophorn) from the weekend class. As a result, we left UC at 7 a.m.

As we arrived at Prek Gdam bridge, we stopped over for a while to have breakfast. A small group of morning session including me already had breakfast before getting on the bus, so we sat together and waited for others finishing their breakfast. We continued our journey at 9:00. Around 10:00, we arrived at the Department of Education, Youth and Sport based in Kompong Chhnang Province. We were led to the room where the Vice President of the department, Mr. Pich Sambo, gave a presentation on the history, education situation, and local residents’ way of life of Kompong Chnnang Province. We reviewed the origin of name of the province, historical events, and Khmer literature related to the province. At the same time, we were presented about the organization and management of CLC as well as the purposes of its existence.

After listening to the presentation, we left the province center to Teuk Phos district where is 30km away. We arrived at the Am Lieang village, Choung Oaung commune, where one of the CLCs is being operated, at almost 11:00. The CLC is quite small, consisting of only 3 rooms where only 3 skills are being taught to the trainees. The 3 skills include playing Pen Piet music (a kind of Khmer tradition music), make-up and wedding decoration, and hairdressing. After interviewing the trainees and the facilitators, we gathered under the trees and listened to the talk of the representatives of the community including the vice president of the commune, the principal of the school and the center, and other related members.

This CLC was established on October 25, 2007. The training period is 6 months per year, and so far two training groups (2008 and 2009) have been completed, the one operated in 2010 is on the process. The organization of CLC is cooperated with the provincial department, village leaders, masters of pagoda, and other influential people. The funds are partly from the national budget and mostly from local community.

The trip covered only one CLC within the province, and the visiting duration was not long enough for us to fully understand how it is implemented. However, this experience enables us to compare the theory with the practice. From the study tour, personally I feel that CLCs in Cambodia focus mostly on income-generating skills such as sewing, Pen Piet music, machinery repairing, motorbike repairing, mushroom growing, hairdressing and so on, while other general knowledge such as of health, sanitation, environment protection, legal understandings, culture, and so on is not highly promoted. According to the leaflet delivered, Pen Piet music training class is offered in all the three training periods in the same community. This may be one of the weaknesses of the CLC management.

After this tour, all the participants are assigned to write report on the trip by showing our impressions and suggestions on the management and operation of CLC in Teuk Phos district. For weekend class, the report is due on September 11, 2010.