High Schools to have Tech Center with High-Speed Internet
The Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth and the Minister of Education Hangchuon Naron signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of the tech centers on Oct. 9. Photo: Ministry of Post and Telecommunication
- By Ou Sokmean
- October 10, 2023 3:07 PM
PHNOM PENH – High schools across the country will have community tech centers equipped with high-speed internet to boost technological literacy and education.
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and the Ministry of Education signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of the tech centers on Oct. 9.
Hun Sen June 1 High Sschool in Takeo province will be the first school to host a center.
Chea Vandeth, Minister of Post and Communication, said the government approved the center as a model before moving to other provinces. The centers will be built throughout Takeo from November.
“In Phase 2, we will build this center nationwide, which is our five-year project,” he said during the signing ceremony, adding that the center will promote the evolution of education and digital literacy to develop Cambodia’s digital human capital.
Students will be taught remotely from Phnom Penh. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has developed an online learning program and will train teachers in each school on IT skills so that they can guide students in practical activities related to digital technology.
The minister said the center is also open for all students who wish to study skills taught online by teachers in Phnom Penh.
“This is because all our centers have computers and high-speed internet to serve the education of students and teachers,” Vandeth said.
The center is also a place for digital skills training for local authorities wishing to use technology for purposes including access to information on agriculture and business.
Vandeth said that this center is an ecosystem that his ministry had worked on to develop Cambodia’s technological human resources to become digital citizens.
The MoU reflected new progress between the ministries in the digital transformation of education to continue to develop human resources and digital technology to build a digital economy and society.
Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron thanked the Ministry of Posts for initiating the center which contributed to the promotion of literacy and digital skills and the integration of educational technology for digital education in schools and the community.
Naron, who is also deputy prime minister, said such centers not only improve the quality of education, but also expands the teaching capacity and qualifications of teachers.
“In the 21st century, the best teachers must have a wide range of knowledge. Teachers must know how to use technology, be conscious, ethical and professional,” he said.
The centers would give teachers a chance to learn about the use of technology to develop their skills.
“If technology is not used in teaching, we will not be able to achieve a better quality of education,” he said. “We will begin to support target schools to achieve digital school standards in the field of digital technology.”
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Nhor Sokhoeurn for Cambodianess
