Higher education made possible for Cambodians [by the Catholic Students Center]
 |
| Scholars at the Catholic Students Center in Phnom Penh |
By Phat Samphy, Phnom Penh
UCANews
Sok Pongsametrey, 28, works as a project manager in a computer company in Phnom Penh, where he earns a monthly salary of US$800.
But according to him, finishing his studies would not be possible had it not been for the help of a Catholic Students Center.
“If there was no such center, I would have had to struggle very hard just to live,” he added.
Kim Khonlang, a student of the Royal University of Law and Economics, is also thankful for the center’s spiritual support. “The Catholic Students Center changed my life.”
For many rural Cambodians like Sok and Kim, getting a university degree is a big challenge due to widespread poverty. However, higher education is crucial for the country as it recovers from underdevelopment as a result of decades of civil conflict that ended in the 90s.
A Catholic Students Center in Phnom Penh was set up more than 10 years ago to give a chance to poor but deserving rural students to complete higher education. The center provides scholarships, accommodation and exposure to Christian values.
“The local Church needs to contribute toward developing human resources in the country,” explained Catholic Students Center coordinator Father John Even Ashley.
The priest said the Church wants to see a future with professionals imbibed with Christian values serving the country.
The 127 students who have benefited from the center since 1999 now work in various companies and NGOs.
About 12 students are admitted to the center every year after passing an examination. They get a scholarship to study at a university in Phnom Penh, accommodation at the center and free use of computer and Internet facilities.
Currently, 49 students live in the center, and not all are Catholic.
Providing a conducive environment for higher studies is the center’s priority, said director Ms. Hun Saren. “We maintain strict discipline, provide psychological support and hygiene training,” she added.
The center’s success has given rise to other similar Church-run centers such as St. Clair Students Center and Center of Justice in Youth Education in Phnom Penh, and Monsignor Paul Tep Im Center in Battambang, northwestern Cambodia.
