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Dong – IT Teacher, Chey 

I started working for PLF 8 years ago. At that time I was working in another NGO and I heard that Ponheary’s sister who set up the computer labs was looking for a teacher and I was recommended. 

I really like working here, I like teaching the students and helping the younger generation. And I have learned a lot also, about IT and computers but also for example before working here I never knew about solar energy. It’s a good job, there is support for the lab and teaching videos and we get more training every year. I am very happy that PLF gave me a chance to achieve my goal to be a teacher and train me a lot how to perform very well in teaching.

 I feel happy to see the kids learning and starting to know things, and I can share my experience with them. I teach Grade 9 to 12 and it’s really important for them to understand about technology. If they go to university they need to know about computers and Microsoft Office so that they can do their work more easily. If they don’t know before they go then it is too hard to learn and it takes time to catch up. That’s why PLF specify they must finish at least 3 computer courses as part of their university application. 

Nowadays it is much easier for kids to school because now there are a lot of NGOs and also the government has developed education to be better. During my childhood it was much harder because there were less schools and not many teachers, so for me it was very very difficult and I had to go very far to get to school. I was born in Kampong Kleang, the floating village on the lake, and my father was a fisherman. I had to take a boat to go to primary school which was also on the lake but it was 2km away. After Grade 5 I went to take the exam to go to middle school in Domdek which is around 20km from the lake. So then I had to take a bicycle in the boat and cycle the extra distance. It took too long to get there and was too difficult. So I decided to leave home and stay closer to school, with some friends. Nowadays they have a floating high school on the lake, but for me I had no choice. After a while, I became a monk in Domdek so that I could live in the pagoda and continue school, otherwise it was not possible because living condition was very hard. It was a big challenge but I loved to study and it was the only way I could do it.

So I studied in the pagoda and then when we do our exams it is at Domdek high school. After I finished high school, then I went to university in Siem Reap to study IT, and I live in another pagoda there. That is how I started teaching, because while I am at university I teach the other monks IT, as well as ballet and sanskrit.

It is a very long journey from fishing village, to pagoda, and now teacher of technology responsible for my own computer lab. And if I hadn’t gone to Domdek for school my life now would be like my father, fishing on the lake. Except now it is even harder as no fish to take. 

Education to me means helping society, helping ourself and having good chance to have a good job or make a good business. Without education we cannot do these things and maybe we have to work as fisherman.

You can meet more of our amazing team and read their stories on the People of PLF page!

 

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