Opening Ceremony of English Access Microscholarship Program Currently, Khmer Association for Development (KAD) has received a grant funding from the American Embassy to Cambodia for implementing a two year-long English Access Microscholarship Program starting on October 01, 2014 and ending on September 30, 2016 from which 26 students would benefit. The program is carried out in order to improve the students’ English knowledge or skills that they can use for their multipurpose, for instance, for searching for a job, for pursuing their university study and for taking an exam to get a variety of scholarship. In addition, the program would lead the students to perform the community activities and to render a personal development to them

On October 17, 2014, KAD celebrated the opening ceremony of English Access Microscholarship Program in which 67 people from the American Embassy, the Samraong Tong District Office of Education, Youth and Sport, the KAD, the communities, the commune councils and the program were invited to partake.

Mr. Meas Chandeth the executive director of Khmer Association for Development addressed all the participants by emphasizing the aim of the program and advantages the students would gain from it, for instance, 1) they would handle English knowledge to succor themselves, their families and their communities, 2) they would perpetuate their study at the university and hunt for a good job and 3) they would be involved in national development. Mr. Meas Chandeth distinguished between the first stage and the second stage of the program that KAD has carried out in the past and at present by stressing that the new stage has provided the students with a lot of comforts, for example, one room is exclusively tailored-made for this program and equipped with enough teaching instruments and learning materials. Mr. Chandeth demonstrated a long process of student selection, for instance, the announcement of the selection by distributing the leaflets to various areas of the districts was made; the candidates were handed the application forms that they latter on returned after being filled out. At that time, fifty students submitted their application forms and after that, the continuous stage of Khmer-spoken interview occurred focusing on their age, their general education, their living condition and their commitment. The interview was made again in English focusing on speaking, listening and writing and was fairly and impartially marked. Then the meeting with all teachers was called to discuss the final recruitment focusing on their marks, their attitude, their school performance, their living situation and their commitment and then their names were dispatched to the American Embassy, Phnom Penh for final decision. Mr. Chandeth added that he would try to initiate other activities complementary to the program such as American culture and democratic value. The duration of English learning is one and a half hour a day starting from 4:00PM to 5:30PM. In addition, the students are required to learn the computer skills for one hour a day too. Mr. Chandeth told the students’ parents about their children’s goals after they leave the high school and the university and even supplicated them for facilitating their Access program completion.
Mr. Cheth Ein a representative of the Access students’ parents and communities was invited to express his feelings in terms of the program. He said he was very delighted that Khmer Association for Development has brought development for this area and even trained the students on English skill. He added that “on behalf of all Access students’ parents, I would like to extend my deep thanks to Khmer Association for Development and American Embassy for the establishment of this program”. He asked all parents to ease their children’s difficulty during the period of their English study provided by the program and also appealed to all students to make a great effort to learn English successfully for their bright future.

Mrs. Nhim Pheakdey who is in charge of the English Access Microscholarship Program of the American Embassy said that she was very pleased that this program would be opened again here. She congratulated all the students who had a chance to be recruited for the two-year Access Program. She briefed the participants on the program and directed her speeches to the Access students, saying that the program would provide them with English knowledge in response to the present employment market. She added that besides learning English, they would be required to take part in other activities towards their community development. Mrs. Pheakdey asked the parents not to feel discontented while their children would be involved in the community activities because they would have no time to help them with housework and with other things; the parents must provide them with an opportunity to participate in community services a great deal; with this program, they would also be aware of democracy, social laws and social plight and foreign cultures; the goal of the program is to help them find a good job and develop themselves, their families, their communities and the nation. She raised an example to reflect the social fact that “the present job for a garment factory produces an immediate benefit but it would last a short time” as for the study “it lasts a long time but it would bear a long-term result.” At this point, she also mentioned on an example that “they can apply for scholarship to every institution due to their enough capacity.” She said that over the period of ten years, the American Embassy has spent around USD800,000.00 for the scholarship program. Most of Access students have been employed, some of them have worked for private companies and as teachers and for other institutions. Mrs. Pheakdey extended her thanks to KAD for introducing this program in which the Access students would have a chance to compete for overseas scholarship and to study modern information technology for their skill improvement.

Mr. Yin Lun the chief of Samraong Tong District Office of Education, Youth and Sport addressed the participants by demonstrating his delighted feeling to be invited for the opening ceremony. He appreciated Mr. Meas Chandeth the executive director of Khmer Association for Development for establishing this program and for conveying the development for this area and the American Embassy for financing the program from which several rural adolescents benefit. He motivated all the Access students to try hard for their study because when having English knowledge they can use it for teaching, for opening the school themselves and for seeking a job at various companies. Mr. Yin Lun thanked Mrs. Nhim Pheakdey for her assistance to have this program to take place and appealed to all Access students to make a great effort to absorb their knowledge for helping develop themselves, their families and the nation. He also appealed to the parents to facilitate their children’s study in order for them to complete the two-year program. He also raised the upcoming 2015 economic integration of all ASEAN member countries that all youth should get ready for it, so general English knowledge and IT skills should be absorbed. Finally, he announced the opening of the program and finished his speeches.

At the end of ceremony, Mrs. Pheakdy, Mr. Yin Lun and Mr. Meas Chandeth haned certificates to 26 Access students and all participants were photographed as souvenir.