2010-11 Tuition!
There are several reasons for placing our children in a private school. Unlike children who live in the cities, countryside children are usually way behind their age group in school. We have 14-17 year old children, bright and hardworking, in 4th and 5th grade. This is due to family poverty, which makes them unable to pay for uniforms, school supplies and daily fees. It also compels many families to have their children help in the rice fields or forests, instead of school.
Another factor is the availability of schools. As Cambodia continues to re-develop following the Khmer Rouge genocide and following 15 years of civil war, the school system is still without adequate resources. There is a lack of school buildings, qualified teaching staff, supplies and equipment ~ needs being addressed by many NGOs, but a long way from providing what is needed.
Then there is the situation the children face when the come to the city and enter the local schools. They begin at the bottom of the class, much older than most of their classmates, and struggle to catch up. We are very proud of the way our children have improved their grades and class rankings. They work hard, and most have moved up to the top 50%, some even in the top 10 in their classes. The children attend school for 1/2 day in Cambodia. In the other 1/2 of the day, they study conversational English for 2 hours. They also have computer classes for one hour three times a week. In the evening, they attend a one hour class on the most important subjects to supplement the school instruction.
Thanks to the generous support of many Friends of the Children of Cambodia, we were able to transfer 23 of our students to The New York International School for the second semester. This school limits class size to 25, providing our children the opportunity to get the special attention they need to close the gap. Some will even be able to advance an extra grade this year as a result of good performance.
We now have scholarships to support all 30 children, by renewal of current scholarships, as well as new ones to make it possible for the remaining 7 children to attend the New York International School for the coming year.
