Cooperation between ODC and SEAPC

Following our meeting with the representatives of the South East Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC)  in Siem Reap, ODC and SEAPC have made the first step to establish potential cooperation. Just a few days after our first encounter, SEAPC sent two of their ICT staff to our teachers’ training on map reading in Kampong Chhnang province.

ODC members and SEAPC’s IT teachers in Kampong Chhnang Province

SEAPC is a Christian NGO serving various fields such as healthcare, education, parenting and micro-economic development. We have got in touch with SEAPC through their involvement in educational projects in Banteay Meanchey province where they have served almost 500 schools and 130,000 students. They have implemented their own curriculum taught in English in small classes in each school. Ten motivated students in each school within their network are later given a scholarship to pursue university studies in Cambodia and upon their graduation they return to Banteay Meanchey to continue working towards SEAPC’s vision and objectives. We had the pleasure to host Mr Mong Veha and Mr Rom Bunthorn, both pertaining to the first batch of the SEAPC’s program in Banteay Meanchey. They shared their first impression of the training with us and expectations about future cooperation.

Training of trainers on map reading and using

SEAPC is in the process of digitizing school facilities and establishing skills training centers in nine districts. Today, three out of the nine centers are complete, and they are running their first computer lab including their own ICT curriculum with an objective to open one or two labs by the next academic year. Mr Bunthorn happens to be an ICT teacher in the computer lab. He pointed out that most teachers don’t know how to use a computer or google maps as they are only familiar with a smartphone. “But if we use [this training] program to teach teachers, they will be more interested to learn” – Mr Bunthorn adds. He is equally pleased to pass on the knowledge to a geography teacher at his high school as well as fellow ICT teachers at other schools belonging to the SEAPC’s network in the province. On the other hand, Mr Mong Veha, Group Leader within SEAPC’s project, assists in teaching computer skills to teachers and students as well as building technical centers in the province. He hopes to learn as much as possible to be able to organize a similar training for the teaching staff that he is currently in touch with.

Overall, ODC would be delighted to assist Mr Veha and Mr Bunthorn in organizing their own teachers’ training in Banteay Meanchey to share the knowledge they gained over a two-day training session in Kampong Chhnang. Yet, teachers’ limited power to adjust the course curriculum as well as their limited knowledge to use technology are the challenges that are likely to arise. Hopefully, ODC together with SEAPC will join forces to address the issue and make this and future training session a valuable asset to all the teachers and their students.