Literacy Program Begins
Our new literacy project in Balangk has begun in Trach Village, where an old run-down schoolhouse with available classrooms has sat vacant for many years. The school is next door to the community’s pagoda, Wat Trach, and the ancient temple complex of Chaosreivibol. Until HT began implementing this English-Khmer Education Program, the majority of students in this village had little-to-no literacy education. The English-Khmer Program essentially works with children already registered in an existing government school and with interested adults in the community. Since the desire to learn English is such a draw, we make it mandatory for the kids to enroll in their existing Khmer school. Our program is an incentive for these children to learn reading and writing in their native tongue.
Registration began on October 2nd and continued through another 2 weeks. Classes began on October 8th with our new teacher, Kosal, giving out textbooks and school supplies to the 164 registered children and adults: 97 females registered with 67 males. Classes are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the students divided into 3 different levels based on age. We hold the classes once in the morning and then again in the afternoon so that the students are able to attend based on their Khmer school schedule.
Registration began on October 2nd and continued through another 2 weeks. Classes began on October 8th with our new teacher, Kosal, giving out textbooks and school supplies to the 164 registered children and adults: 97 females registered with 67 males. Classes are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the students divided into 3 different levels based on age. We hold the classes once in the morning and then again in the afternoon so that the students are able to attend based on their Khmer school schedule.
We received a generous contribution to the project when a group of volunteers came to help renovate the Trach School during the first week of November. With their labor and support we were able to transform the classrooms into a safe and like-new school. We can now use all of the five classrooms to their original capacity and have the use of a newly built kitchen for a potential future nutrition program.
The next steps for us include: the implementation of additional literacy classes for the many children and adults who are currently unable to read or write in their own language; a basic-nutrition program to feed the children that come to school without breakfast in the morning; a library room to improve literacy skills; the establishment of Parent-Teacher meetings and support groups to encourage more involvement from the students’ families. The goal of this project is to integrate it with local educational system and make it self-sustaining through partnerships and community involvement.
