The National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, with financial support from the Chinese government, are preparing to establish a digital library to help inform students and citizens about drug issues.
NACD Legislation, Education and Rehabilitation Department director Lim Tong Huot told The Post on October 27 that the idea for the digital library came from a meeting between Chinese leaders, deputy prime minister Sar Kheng and NACD president Ke Kim Yan.
Per the NACD, Tong Huot and education ministry undersecretary of state Soeur Socheata met with a represntative of the Chinese Ambassador to discuss the library on October 26 as well.
“Through meetings with our leaders, China has agreed to support the establishment of this important digital library with a budget of about $ 50,000. We have also requested technical assistance, such as [help with] the operation of the digital library from China,” Tong Huot said,
He said the main role of the digital library was to store documents and information related to the fight against drugs for students and the public to access.
Socheata, who is also head of the working group tasked with developing lesson plans about drug prevention, said on October 27 that the first phase of the digital library will be launched at the Hun Sen Library at Boeung Trabek High School in Phnom Penh.
In the next phase, the digital library will be expanded to nine additional provinces. The libraries will be located at resource centres designated by the ministry.
Socheata said China would give an additional $1,000 per month to fund the library’s website.
She said the project would also create rooms in the high schools to allow students and children to carry out more research.
