Monument Books has donated more than 17,500 English language books to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, to help primary and secondary school students improve their understanding of the written English word. The books will be distributed to schools in need of English language literature.

The April 18 ceremonial handover of the books was presided over by Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron and Meng Heang, managing director of the Monument Books Company, at the education ministry.

Chuon Naron expressed his deep gratitude to Monument Books for donating the materials, saying they would make a valuable contribution to the ministry’s goal of helping under-reourced schools.

“These books will be distributed to schools in Kampong Cham province’s Kang Meas district, The New Generation School Preah Sisowath High School and some schools in the capital and provinces. They will be shared with the students so they can sharpen their English language skills,” he said.

Heang said that Cambodia – as well as the world – has suffered a serious crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The crisis had made it all but impossible for schools to open their doors to students on a regular basis, and many students only had access to online tutoring and study services, he added.

In particular, students in rural areas faced particular challenges in accessing education services due to a lack of electronic devices and textbooks, he said.

“’In 2021, at the height of the crisis, I donated more than 18,000 English textbooks to schools in Siem Reap province’s Sotr Nikum district, and Koh Sotin and Srey Santhor districts of Kampong Cham province. We also made donations to organisations such as World Vision Cambodia, Cambodian Children’s Fund and the Australian Embassy,” he said.

Heang said that the English textbooks that were donated had a value of about $100,000.