On 5th August 2016, PKH signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kampong Speu Orphan Centre (KSOC) to take over the running of Cambodia Tomorrow School (CTS). This took place in the CTS premises located in Chbarmon, Kampong Speu Province. Ds Bessie Lee, Mrs Ena Chang (PKH Committee member in charge of this new work) and a few members of the PKH Committee and Staff represented PKH. KSOC was represented by its director, Mdm Pol Sokly, and 3 teachers from CTS.
CTS has 3 full time local teachers and is located on the grounds of KSOC with 2 classrooms, a computer lab and an office. With effect from 1 September 2016, the school will be renamed Project Khmer H.O.P.E. English School and PKH will be responsible for the direction, development, management and operations of the school.
CTS was set up in 2008 by a US non-profit organisation to provide English lessons to the orphans in KSOC and the poorer children age 3 to 18 years old from the surrounding community. Students attend the local Khmer public school but come to CTS for English lessons before or after school.
In January this year, PKH was approached by CTS to take over the running of the school as their Board decided to conclude their education programme by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year. Subsequently, PKH Committee members together with Ms Susan Goh (Head of PKH Centre, Chbarmon) visited KSOC and CTS on a few occasions to find out more about their work and how PKH can help. KSOC and CTS are located just behind the PKH Centre at Chbarmon and PKH had not entered into any collaboration with them in the past.
With this MOU, PKH will take over the management of the school with the 3 existing local teachers reporting directly to the Head of PKH Centre. Student recruitment has already started for the new academic year with the intake increasing from 90 to 110 students comprising of 46 from KSOC and 64 from the poorer families in the community. PKH will provide all materials necessary for lessons including school books, school bags, uniforms, stationery and refreshments.
PKH is excited about this opportunity to reach out to the children at KSOC as well as the surrounding community and look forward to integrating the students with joint activities and the weekend Livingstreams Club at PKH Centre.