The Improved Basic Education in Cambodia (IBEC) Project, which is funded by USAID and implemented by World Education (WE) in close collaboration with KAPE, held a certificate distribution ceremony on 25 June 2013 in Kampong Cham to reward school teachers and directors for successfully completing the school management and leadership course provided by the project. Officials of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), including H.E. Nath Bunroeun, a USAID representative, students,teachers, directors, local authorities, Provincial Office of Education, and WE and KAPE staff from Siem Reap, Kampong Cham and Kratie took part in the ceremony.

H.E. Sim Sok Kry, the vice governor of Kampong Cham, gave a welcome speech to officially open the ceremony. He said that IBEC had provided funds to develop schools, including scholarships to poor students at primary and secondary school level, as well as to attend the teacher training college; life skills programs; tutoring programs; child friendly school support, school infrastructure improvements, computer labs, science labs and materials; funds to support bi-lingual teaching assistants; support for student health programs to mention just some of the interventions. He also gave a special mention to the support IBEC has given in training school management and leadership and how this will help schools to continue to develop beyond the life of the project, hence being an important element in ensuring long term sustainability.

World Education’s Country Director,Mr Kim Dara, explained that IBEC had provided the school management and leadership course to all school directors in the project target schools in Kampong Cham, Siem Reap and Kratie. He continued that this course was essential in leading school directors to gain the skills required to engage school stakeholders in identifying their long term vision and finding new ways to lead and manage schools effectively to achieve these goals Heng Sieng, USAID Representative,expressed that the IBEC project was a good example of US government efforts to help boost leadership and good governance in the management of primary and secondary education. He said that USAID had worked closely with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in formal education in Cambodia and in addition, IBEChad supported a number of important education initiatives in Cambodia.

H.E. Nath Bunroeun, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), stated that IBEC had actively helped in further developing and implementing activities of MoEYS’ Child Friendly School policy, including helping to produce 30 life skills manuals that MoEYS was inserting into the formal curriculum. Hence, even if IBEC officially ends in2014, it would continue to have an impact on improving the quality of education in Cambodia beyond the life of the project. He stated that the Leadership and Management course provided by IBEC was of real importance as if the directors were strong then their schools would also be strong.