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| Essa al-Mannai opening Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Se school in Cambodia recently |
Also present on the occasion were a team of Rota representatives led by director Essa al-Mannai and Cambodian government officials.
Emphasising the ceremony’s significance to the future of education in Cambodia, the prime minister was joined by 200 government officials including the Minister of Education and Ministry of Education representatives plus teachers, students and families as the local community celebrated the handover of ownership of the new Samdech High School.
“I have no doubt the new Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Se - Rota General and Technical High School will become a centre of education excellence in the region. The old school – with primary, low secondary and high secondary schools in the same building – was overcrowded and running on a double shift system, the new Rota school will cover the high secondary section which will reduce the pressure from the old school and all schools will be running on single shift. Accordingly the pressure on the teachers will be reduced and their productivity and teaching quality will be improved,” said al-Mannai, adding: “The new schools are built in line with Rota’s international commitment to provide sustainable quality education in countries which most need Qatar’s assistance.”
Located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the educational vision for Vihear Suork is to create an educational hub encompassing a secondary school, vocational training institute and in the long term, a university.
Construction of the new schools, which created temporary employment for 250 workers and consultants, and long-term career for 88 teachers and 18 school administration staff, began in 2009. Completed ahead of schedule in mid-November 2010, the new schools provide additional and improved access to primary and secondary education, as well as up-to-date technical skills for 2,750 Cambodian youth each year.
With the potential to benefit more than 500,000 people in the surrounding community, the new Samdech High School campus boasts hi-tech science laboratories, fully equipped and multimedia enabled classrooms and a computer laboratory.
In addition, Rota’s commitment to Cambodia also provides consultancy to empower the school’s administration, staff and children as they seek to identify income generation projects to increase the school’s long-term financial autonomy and self sufficiency. “Cambodia’s 30-year struggle with civil war and socio-political unrest has left over 35% of the population living in poverty. Rota’s strategy enables children and youth to access primary and secondary education that is focused on local needs, thereby empowering communities with the tools to eradicate poverty by their own hands,” said al-Mannai.