It’s 9 o’clock in the morning. The bell rings and the students come out of the classroom to enjoy playing on the playground before it is completely covered by flood waters from September to February. Despite this, a young child remains in the classroom and carefully reads these textbooks.

“I like to revise the lessons and do the homework because it allows me to follow the lesson well and do well in the exam,” said CHHONG Chhenghun, a fifth-grade student at Kampong Plouk Primary School, located in the flooded village in Kampong Plouk commune, Prasat Bakang district, Siem Reap province.

Chhenghun is a diligent student and is committed to studying both at school and at home. This is why he is one of the best students in his class. This excellent performance is mainly due to his determination and also the help of his teacher during the remedial course.

Experiencing learning difficulties, Chhenghun always had challenges understanding the explanations of his teachers. He was therefore shy and did not feel comfortable at school. 

Chheng hun and his mother

Chhong Chhenghun and his mother. 

“When he was very young, he was seriously ill and was not developing as well as his peers. Even though I tried to help him study at home, the result was not good. I was afraid he won’t go to school anymore, and join his father fishing,” said Mrs. EOUN Dany, Chhenghun’s mother.

Mrs. Dany’s concern was gradually relieved after her son attended the remedial course from October to November 2022, during which he was encouraged to engage in various intensive activities such as spelling, reading, writing, wordplay, role-playing, composing poems and songs, etc. At the end of each session, a competition was organized and the winners were rewarded with school materials. It was through these activities that Chhenghun was able to overcome his challenge.

Ms. Nout Sreyleak, the teacher in charge of remedial lessons.

Ms. Nout Sreyleak, the teacher in charge of remedial lessons.

“The main cause of Chhenghun’s weakness is related to the spelling of words, which makes him unable to read and write properly. First, I have to help him spell and write difficult words. Once successful, I encourage him to write, read aloud and participate in role-playing because this allows him to improve pronunciation, and understanding of words, enriches memory, and develops self-confidence. I am very excited about his rapid progress.” explained Miss. NOUT Sreyleak, the teacher in charge of remedial lessons.

“I like the remedial class because my teacher takes good care of me and explains all my questions. What I like a lot are educational games and competitions because I often win,” added Chhenghun.
From the beginning of this school year, Chhenghun became an excellent student in his class. He is very brave and actively participates in class activities. In addition, he often helps his friends with homework and solving difficult problems in the course.

“I would like to help my friends so that they are comfortable at school. In addition, I am determined to work hard to always be at the top of my class. I want to become a good teacher to support children facing difficulties in the classroom,” Chhenghun said.

CHHONG Chhenghun is one of the 7,763 students who took the remedial course, provided by Action Education in 2022. The main purpose of this tutoring program is to put students with slow learning and learning difficulties back at the same level as their classmates. This also aims to reduce the rate of grade repetition, and school drop out.
 

This is part of the project Fisher Folks Making Circular Economy Work for the Western Tonle Sap Lake (FOSTER) led by Oxfam with the financial support from the European Union. 

Text by Sopheak Srey/AEA and photos by Prasith Chin/AEA

Chhenghun in fifth-grade class with teacher

Chhenghun in fifth-grade class with teacher.