Russey Keo district's Fine Arts school has been closed for two months

as high water continues to wreak havoc on the stricken neighbourhood

Photo by:

HENG CHIVOAN

The flooded campus at the Fine Art school in Russey Keo.

SINCE the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Russey Keo was flooded two months ago, more than 1,200 students have been forced to partially suspend their studies. As a result, they will be forced to sacrifice their vacations to make up for the lost class time, education officials said Thursday.

"Since the reopening of classes on October 1, 1,224 students at the Fine Art School have not been able to start their general knowledge studies," said Khorn Yay, the school's deputy director.

"Both the entrance road and school are flooded. We cannot drive a moto or car to school. It is a deep, muddy road. The water has not receded because the school is lower than its surroundings, which are primarily construction sites and high roads."

Khim Sarith, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, told the Post that with the school flooded, students will not be able to complete their studies and will not be permitted to have vacation next year.

"We will not permit the students to have their vacation next year, as they have not studied enough," he said.

"To complete a study program, we must do this. If they do not study enough, they have no skills," Khim Sarith added.

We will not permit students to have vacation, as they have not studied enough.

School official Keo Malis said he was very concerned by the missed class time.

"I am afraid of the decline in my students' artistic skills because the students have not learned enough. They have missed their studies because of the flooding," Keo Malis said.

Kim Chhun, a student of traditional dance, said that she has not studied since the school was flooded.

"I just went to school once since the flood, but I could not enter. I just looked from the outside because I did not dare enter for fear of falling in a hole," she said.