Photo credit: Action Education Cambodge
Sounan is a 27-year-old teacher. Her school, located in one of the districts of Phnom Penh, benefits from cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Rabbit School organisation, a partner of Action Education. Born in Takeo province, in the south of Cambodia, Sounan obtained a degree in management while working as an educational assistant for Rabbit School. Action Education provided her with a grant and training materials, and encouraged her to take the competitive examination to become a teacher.
Lack of awareness of mental disability
Sounan says: " Being a teacher has always been my dream. My class has 25 pupils, aged 8 to 12, with mental disabilities (autism, Down's syndrome, intellectual disabilities, etc.). My view of disability has changed a lot. My pupils need special attention and learning so that they can progress and become more independent. When I'm ill or absent, I worry about them as if they were my own children. The biggest challenge is the discrimination they face. I don't blame the general public's perception, which I think is linked to a lack of understanding of mental disability. We encourage shared spaces and activities with other pupils. The positive impact we can have on these children's lives and the relationships of trust we build with them make me love this job. Many thanks to Action Education for their support! "
Training 3,200 teachers by 2022
Action Education and its partner Rabbit School promote access to education and the rights of children with intellectual disabilities in Cambodia. By 2023, Rabbit School will be educating 670 intellectually disabled children aged between 4 and 25, including 369 girls, with the aim of integrating these children into the school system wherever possible. Action Education has exceeded its target of training 3,200 teachers by 2022. Training has covered a variety of topics, including remedial learning, inclusive education and understanding disability. The training has had a very positive impact on pupils and teachers.
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