On February 10 2015, KAPE organized a visiting reception for the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Cambodia at demonstration school, one of KAPE's target schools in Kampong Cham town. This visit was to learn about how the school has improved with interventions by KAPE through various programs: Improved Basic Education in Cambodia (IBEC) Project, Beacon School Initiative (BSI), Empowering Youth through Education and Advocacy (EYEA) supported by various donors and partners from the United States of America, China and Australia.

The improvements of the school were possible with the cooperation of demonstration school teachers, the school’s director, and the Provincial Office of Education (POE) Youth and Sport. There are, however, more challenges to combat to help Cambodian children have opportunities to continue their education through high school.

During the visit, Grade 8-10 students were invited to meet with Ms Julie Chung to share new ideas and to exchange their experiences. EYEA youths were led to raise their concerns and ideas. Ms Julie said that the university tuition fees in the United States of America are higher than the tuition fees in Asian countries. Some students take out loans from banks and repay them after they have graduated and have jobs. Seeing the competitive technology, our youths raised the topic of IT to discuss about its advantages and disadvantages.

Staff from the US Embassy, School Teachers, Directors, Student Councils and staff from KAPE went to visit various activities performed by the students in each class including school management, modern buildings,the clean school campus, science lab, computer lab, subject classes, English class, library, bio-garden, toilets, basins, playground, volleyball court, class decoration, teaching and learning aids.

Ms Julie Chun, the Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Cambodia, also expressed her pride when she saw how the students and school have improved, especially that the students had good attitudes and study hard. She said that the United States has a lot of developing projects in Cambodia, some have ended and others still continue, even a new education research project that will soon commence. Information on scholarship programs for Cambodian students to study in the United States is available on the US Embassy to Cambodia’s website and Facebook page.