By Rebecca Bolsover | Program Manager
Dear Supporters,
Covid-19, the virus that sent 2020 and the whole world into chaos. At the beginning of the year who could have ever predicted what would unfold as the months started to go by, and even now I don’t think we can really be sure of what will come. Hundreds of countries have been impacted by the virus, and unfortunately Cambodia hasn’t escaped the wave of destruction.
One area that was hit hardest when covid-19 took hold was the education sector. 13,300 schools were ordered to close, but The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport quickly adapted and launched a new e-learning initiative, where students grade 1 to 12 could access pre-recorded lessons online. However, in order to be able to access these materials, families not only needed devices such as laptops or smartphones to watch the content, but they also needed electricity and data/wifi. These added costs have made it impossible for a vast majority of students to view the content especially in these times of even further economic struggles. Some students have been without any form of education since March, and it is heartbreaking to see students' futures becoming so much harder, due to reasons they have no chance of controlling.
However there has been hope this month, with 20 schools being allowed to reopen under strict health & safety guidelines. These schools are those of a high standard, that can honour the agreement that emcompasses social distancing on campuses, and this means they are mainly private run international schools with students who can afford to attend. In theory as these schools open and lead the way on how to safely operate, other learning centres with less resources will be able to follow suit. When this will be though is unclear.
On the week we were meant to be moving to Siem Reap, covid instead had other plans for us and by the end of the week the decision was made to put our hub into hibernation. We had already started working with our new partners in Siem Reap who had been incredibly welcoming to us, and were so excited to see our projects really come to life with our volunteers. Now with the school centres being forced to close, our partners have had to adapt to try and still support their students with some classes going online & worksheets being collected from the school grounds. As I mentioned previously, due to financial constraints a lot of students are simply going without any form of education.
Even though this past month there has been progress, Cambodia and the world has a long way to go before we are out of this very difficult time. We know Cambodia is a very resilient country but the implications of this virus will no doubt be seen for years to come. We look forward to when we can return and help our partners in their missions, but even through the coming months we know that now more than ever supporting their work is incredibly crucial. We need to ensure that the classrooms we support are still able to transform the lives of hundreds of students across Siem Reap. We understand that it is a difficult year for a lot of people around the world, but hope that if anyone is able that they will look to make a difference in the educational sector and support our classroom fund that will pave the way for many young Cambodian’s futures.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the generosity everyone has already given to us already, but please do continue to support us as we can make it through this difficult time together!
With Gratitude,
Cambodia Classrooms
By Rebecca Bolsover | Program Manager
By Becki Bolsover | Program Manager
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