“Who would want to learn how to use the computer?” we asked. Of the room of 300 madrasah schoolboys, almost all the hands shot up in a heartbeat. The children were gathered to receive a set of uniform each. Before this, they had to make do with only one set which they wash every evening and reuse the next morning. In this school, they were only given religious education and the children didn’t know how to speak English. We realised that it would be almost impossible to instruct them on the use of computers unless they can read and write English.
The teaching of English represents the first step in the long journey for them to become computer literate – and we are committed to their achieving this dream.
At present we have one teacher teaching basic English to about 300 boys and girls. Communication with the teacher has been a challenge because there is no electricity in Phum Trea and the place is flooded and dengue-infested for about four months in a year.
This project commenced in March 2007 when we identified a suitable teacher and sent him for a three-month teaching programme in Phnom Penh. Naseat started work as the village English school teacher in June 2007. He now has about 300 boys and girls between the ages of 9 to 16 under his tutelage. He teaches basic English, from ground zero, as the children have never had any exposure to English before this. We supply him with teaching material, such as textbooks, chalk and such.
In 2008 he has shown marked improvement in his teaching techniques and command of the English language. He was able to conduct a lively English lesson with his four groups of children, totalling 120 students. Naseat is being supported by our dedicated team of Singaporean teachers who helped in designing the English syllabus and supplying appropriate textbooks for the students whose ages range from 8 to 14 years. With the appointment of our second English teacher who we interviewed during the trip, we hope to be able to conduct English lessons to more children, and enrolling them at younger ages. Most adult men at the village are not employed. They recognized that the key to breaking the poverty cycle is through having knowledge of English. They were grateful that English is now being taught to their children.
