Village School Profile –
Kh’na Rong No. of Students Teacher School Hours Subject Taught
Cambodia - 2010, 2011
last updated July 2012
60-70 (aged 5-15) Mr. Chea Virak (Junior Class) Mr. Min Sarat (Senior Class) 09:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:00 (Mon - Fri) English Language
Cambodia 2010 Project Cost Cambodia 2011 Project Cost Running Cost (by Camkids) Teacher Salary/ Month Land Rent (until July 2012)
$42000 HKD (School Construction) $24400 HKD (Toilet Construction) $100 USD/ Month $50 USD/ Month
Kh’na Ruong Village
Boeng Tranh Khang Cheung Commune, Samraong District, Takeo
Project Little Dream – Cambodia 2010
In 2008, Kh’na Ruong village was identified by the NFO Village Schools’ Network and classes were set up under the village schoolteacher’s house. 50 children attended classes inside a 30-metre2 space, next to a cattle pen and kitchen. There were only two desks and some broken benches, with poor lighting inside the tight teaching space. According to the schoolchildren, the original path to the school was narrow and badly constructed, with fearsome dogs living nearby that posed a danger to their safety.
In 2010, Project Little Dream initiated the Kh’na Rong village school construction project, with two major aims: to provide a better learning environment, and to attract and accommodate more schoolchildren from Kh’na Rong village and neighbouring villages. Apart from creating a learning space, the new school also aimed to provide a better social space, suitable for both outdoor and indoor activities – ultimately serving a dual function as a village community center featuring a large indoor open space. Finally, Project Little Dream built a new road branching from the main village path directly into the school area, providing better access for students and villagers.
Location: 13 km from the West of Provincial Takeo Town. 40-minutes Tuktuk ride on muddy village roads Population: 100 households Economy: Agriculture (grain, herding), Infrastructure: Car battery as electricity, underground water well and rainwater as water source. No village pagoda.
The Design
Construction
Having built its first village school in Prey Run one year ago, Project Little Dream was equipped with experience of school construction and working with local builders. As a result, the design of the school was improved, both in terms of its usage of space and ability to respond to environmental conditions. Team members were able to better gauge the requirements of the school and to satisfy these conditions. In view of the fast expansion of the Prey Run village school built in 2009, the school was designed to accommodate a maximum of 150 children in a 72-metre2 space.
Without electricity, all construction work was done by hand, using only hand tools such as hammers and hand saws. Together with 3 local workers and 8-12 volunteers and organizers working at the site every day, the school took 22 days to finish, from constructing the foundation to laying the thatch roof. Improvements to labour allocation and work organization were also put in place, in reference to suggestions from our work evaluation in 2009 – this allowed more efficient work and a shorter duration of construction. Tables and chairs were produced by volunteers and children from the New Futures Orphanage, and brought to the school after completion.
As the site of the first exposure to education for many local children, the school was designed under a concept of “The Hall of Learning”, with a wide and welcoming entrance inviting them into the interior classroom. In the middle of the classroom hangs “a droplet of water”, formed by a thousand hanging wooden plaques with pictures and words of encouragement and blessing written by donors, volunteers and local Khmer children. On the two sides of the school, immensely large openings allow light and fresh air to freely enter the classroom, and also frame a beautiful view: rice fields and a small pathway leading to the school. Emphasis was placed on the openness of the school – a welcoming gesture to every child passing by to enter and join the lessons, especially when they hear their fellow village children practicing newly-learnt vocabulary by chanting aloud across the field.
Project Little Dream – Cambodia 2011 Two toilet cubicles were built next to the village school in the space of 22 days, and were gaily decorated with paper planes. Children were also taught basic sanitation principles as part of the school curriculum.
Kh’na Rong Village School Evaluation - July 2012 (by R&D Department, Project Little Dream)
Education
Architecture
Below standard The morning teacher is incapable of teaching, he simply find words from the dictionary and regurgitates it. These words are often very difficult (overbid, overhang, mean) and will never be used in daily contexts let alone by beginners. He will then spend 3 hours teaching 5 words that they will probably never use Landlady’s son is an average teacher, his level is slightly below or equal to the children at the orphanage
Model school Besides from the thatch’s discoloration the school still looks brand new Repair work was done last December, notably the footing of some of the wooden pillars and termite varnishing The cleanliness of the school can be credited to the efforts of the landlady and her son. They ask the students to move the tables before every class to sweep the floor. Also unlike our other schools there is barely any candy wrappers or trash in the vicinity –highly impressive!
Development
Future plans
Attendance implemented We have started an attendance list that aims to record basic information on our students and also monitor their attendance. This is the first attempt to be actively involved in the experience of our school from an education point of view
Considering...