The Jesuits and partners in Cambodia continue to discern the way forward in education. In October, four educators from the various parts of the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific visited Cambodia as part of the Cambodian Mission’s Preparatory Planning Mission (PPM) team. The local members of the PPM included three Jesuits, Frs OH Indon and Gabby Lamug-Nanawa and Br Ham Toeun, and two partners, Sr Ljudmila Anzic (Salesians) and Br Terry Heinrich (Marists).
The PPM’s reflection took place in Phnom Penh from October 26 to 30, 2012.
The first two days were devoted to providing local context to the visitors, Fathers Stephen Chow SJ from Wah Yan College in Hong Kong; Johnny Go SJ from Xavier School in the Philippines; Quyen Vu SJ from the East Timor education team; and Ms Sumitra Phongsathorn, who has served as education coordinator for the Ursuline Sisters in Bangkok, Thailand for many years.
Jesuit Service-Cambodia (JSC) has been involved in education for more than two decades – building schools, conducting teacher training programmes, subsidising the cost of teachers, providing student scholarships, supporting the Royal University of Phnom Penh in teacher training etc.
The first day, the visitors spent the morning at two schools that are part of a network of 18 schools that JSC has built in the countryside outside Phnom Penh. They saw a “mini-school” built by JSC in a village in Oudong that offers the first two years of primary school education. With these mini-schools, young children only have to begin travelling the long distances to state-run schools when they reach grade 3. The group also stopped at a public secondary school, where JSC had funded a building.
The JSC network is part of a bigger network of educational involvement, which includes the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, Jesuit Refugee Service, JSC offices in other provinces, the Royal University of Phnom Penh, the Catholic Church Student Center and the Cambodian seminary.
In the afternoon, they heard presentations on the history of education in Cambodia since the mid-19th century, the experience of Jesuits and lay partners in education over many years, some statistical data about Cambodian students, and the result of some interviews with Jesuit stakeholders.
Day two was spent visiting the Salesian primary and vocational school for girls and the Catholic Church Student Center (CCSC).
The Salesian school is well regarded, and the Director of the Phnom Penh Municipality for Education, Youth and Sports, Mr Chea Cheath, has said: “Where the Salesian Sisters are working we can find a quality school, a 100% good education. … Your schools are really for the poor: you don’t charge the poor, provide them an integral formation, offer them the chance of vocational training. … The hopeless children find in this school new hope. Who studies in your schools is very lucky. In the name of the Minister, I thank you and I ask you to continue to help us.”
The CCSC was established under the leadership of Fr Ashley Evans SJ in 1999 to provide a formative place for university students coming from the provinces. Its own alumni now run it. Many of the young lay leaders in the Cambodian Catholic Church come from this Centre. Ten alumni are working as teachers in schools around Cambodia, and two are Government appointed teacher trainers.
The final day was devoted to discussions and putting thoughts and recommendations together, and presenting these to the Education Mission Leadership Team (EMLT) headed by Fr Ashley.
The next stage of the discernment process is a draft response from the EMLT to the PPM recommendations. This draft response has been presented to all the members and partners of the Jesuit Cambodia Mission for feedback and response, and the final recommendations will be sent to the Delegate of the Korean Provincial for consideration and decision.
Caption for main photo: The mini-school built and run by Jesuit Service-Cambodia in a village in Oudong to provide grades 1 and 2 education.