A new children’s library at a primary school has been established in Stung Treng province by NGOs Sovann Phoum (SP) and Plan International Cambodia (PIC), in collaboration with the education department. PIC
The NGOs Sovann Phoum (SP) and Plan International Cambodia (PIC) and the Stung Treng provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sport last week jointly launched a new children’s library at a remote primary school serving mostly indigenous students.
The library includes digital facilities to assist children in technology training, studying and improving their reading habits.
Pich Sovann, programme manager for SP, told The Post that since the onset of the 2023 school year, there have been two children’s libraries established in Stung Treng province as part of a project to improve the quality of education in the northeast region in five districts: Sesan, Thala Barivat, Siem Pang, Siem Bok and Borei O’Svay Sen Chey.
“When we first started this children’s library, we put in a reading corner because at the time we saw that most schools did not have a room [for reading] and there was no librarian. The reading corner is a place where we put books in one classroom.
“We put in the reading corner from two to four rooms, depending on the school’s space and whether it is large or small. Eventually we put them in 12 schools, but later we started to develop the project further to create children’s libraries,” he said.
According to Sovann, one of the two libraries is in Chhwang Primary School in Thala Barivat district, while the other library is located at Pong Kreal Primary School in Siem Pang district, which were announced open for use on March 4.
He said the library was set up with internet connected Smart TVs to further help children practice reading habits as well as develop their brains and intellects to solve problems.
“In that remote area where our indigenous people live, there is a high dropout rate and they don’t get a full education. We think this library will help students learn more, which means they can come and read books or watch educational programmes on Smart TVs that we have integrated with the reading programmes and learning about the latest technology,” he said.
Chhwang Primary School principal Theng Sok Hoeun said that the library was really important and something that the children had always wanted.
“I am very happy. I never thought that I would have such a library in my school, which has been stocked with unprecedented materials – bookshelves filled with books and equipped with a Smart TV for students to watch and many of the books are titles that other schools do not have.
“As the principal, as well as one of the teachers, I will encourage parents and students to understand the value of studying, access to books in the library with explanations and have drawings by students displayed in the library,” he said.
According to Sok Hoeun, NGOs Sovann Phoum and other relevant institutions had also provided materials to support the learning in classes, help slower learning students and reduce the dropout rate.
Seng Sam Ean, director of Thala Barivat district education office, said: “This library really helps children not to spend time playing around on their phones learning nothing and they can instead spend their time in study. Because there are good books and the Smart TV for watching and learning on the spot and people can participate in reading at the library.”
Yi Kimthan, deputy country director for PIC, told The Post that creating the libraries was done to further encourage the establishment of more of these libraries in all provinces to teach children in remote areas to take advantage of their education and make the most of these reading opportunities.
