Collaborative activity: Japanese high school study tour at Khnar Chas Primary School

On August 2, 2024, a group of high school students from Okinawa Prefecture visited Siem Reap as part of a study tour. Ms. Izumi Yuko, a JICA Volunteer (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer) working in elementary education at Khnar Chas Primary School, welcomed the group with a presentation and a visit to her classroom.

A total of 16 Japanese high school students participated in the event. The principal of Khnar Chas Primary School opened with a welcoming speech, sharing a brief history of the school and acknowledging the support it has received from Japanese aid programs.

Ms. Izumi then delivered a presentation utilizing projector loaned by Seiko Epson Corporation (Epson Projector) about her volunteer activities, sharing her experiences and insights through a clear PowerPoint presentation and engaging videos.

In introducing her activities, Ms. Izumi explained about the arts and crafts class she launched. When she was assigned to Cambodia, Ms. Izumi was asked by the school principal to give a class to the children and their teachers because, in Cambodia, arts and crafts classes were not part of the elementary school curriculum, and none of the teachers were able to give classes. Ms. Izumi believes that arts and crafts are very important to nurture children's imagination and creativity. With the cooperation of various people, she succeeded in launching a new arts and crafts class. Currently, approximately 700 students a week attend Ms. Izumi's classes.

59 Cambodian students (6th graders) participated in the arts and crafts class on this day, and high school students from the study tour also supported the class. In addition, Smart City Project staff also supported the event by utilizing an Epson Projector. The projector has become an important tool to help the children understand the classroom.

The Smart City Project will continue to implement activities in line with the Siem Reap Smart City vision "By solution using technology smartly".