Cambodia

In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a 2nd round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, the government made progress on economic reforms. The Cambodian government continues to work with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Most of the population, 75%, remains engaged in subsistence farming. Because of the years of turmoil, Cambodia has one of the weakest infrastructures in the region. Few people have access to computers and the internet. Of the total population, only .3% have access to the internet. Amazingly, this is a 583% increase since 2000.

Word Links in Cambodia

World Links has been working with funding from the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) to implement a regional teacher professional development program. The principal objective of the ASEAN SchoolNet project is to help disadvantaged youth in ASEAN countries develop the knowledge, skills and experience they need to get jobs in the global knowledge economy. The countries of ASEAN have expressed a keen interest in promoting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competencies among their populations and in preparing ASEAN students to enter the labor market with the necessary skills to compete in a global economy increasingly driven by knowledge and information. This project will provide hardware, software and teacher training to selected schools in four ASEAN countries as a means to explore and demonstrate sustainable solutions for mobilizing the necessary technologies, training, and educational resources to improve teaching and learning outcomes. The pilot schools are to serve as models and learning labs in their respective countries. The JSDF has provided support through the World Bank to implement this regional program that will include national pilot programs in four countries: Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam.

In Cambodia, World Links is working in five secondary schools on teacher professional development and the establishment of self-sustaining school-bsed telecenters.  In 2005, 230 refurbished computers donated by the World Bank were sent to all five schools, as there were no pre-existing computer labs.  Due to proficiency levels in the schools, World Links' Master Trainers and staff trained more than 45 teachers on basic computer literacy skills in Khmer, who in turn have trained more than 550 students and an additional 46 teachers to-date. 

Also in 2005, World Links Master Trainers conducted Phases 1 & 2 (of 3 phases) of the teacher professional development progam, "Introduction to the Internet for Teaching and Learning" and "Introduction to Telecollaborative Learning Projects." World Links' manuals were adapted to suit the Cambodian schools and lessons were translated into Khmer.  A total of 32 teachers from the five participating schools attended the eight-day training session.  Many impressive projects resulted from the training, and teachers will take these activities back to their shools for implementation.  Local Cambodian partner, American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC), is monitoring teachers' progress and evaluating their performance.  Phase 3 training, "Continuous Professional Development," will be scheduled for those teachers who complete the requirements following Phases 1 & 2 of the program.

Projects and Achievements