Happy education
PKO has implemented a non-formal education project in the province of Battambang. More than 900 children are welcomed every day in its Youth Centers. A team of Youth Workers, with at least five years of experience, offers a wide variety of pedagogical and leisure activities to the children. The activities, are specially designed for such project, and are based on the psycho-pedagogical development process of a child and something that fits to the Khmer cultural environment.
On the other hand, a team of Community Mobilization Liaison Officer (CMLO) is working directly with the community and the parents. Their objective is to conduct awareness campaign on education issues and to favor the involvement of the parents in the education of their children.
WHAT DO WE OFFER THE CHILDREN IN THE YOUTH CENTERS?
Based on psycho-pedagogy, the activities are essentially oriented towards the stages in children’s development (psychosocial and affective well being, education and the development of life skills capacities).
- Preprimary & Primary Remedial Activity
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Children at the age of 3-6: preparation for the first year of study
- Games
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“Free play” with toys and games (Exercise, Symbolic, Assembling and Rule games) which facilitates the development of the children physically, intellectually (concentration, logic, reflection), and affectively.
- Collective/ group games
Outside games and sports to develop the physical and social abilities of the children as well as to develop within them the concept of solidarity.
- Arts
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Theater, painting, music, dance, performing in circus , story telling and discussion to stimulate oral and artistic expression, encourage creativity, symbolic and manual skills.
- Library
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This is to stimulate children’s interest in books and develop their reading and writing skills
- Culture & Handicraft:
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To improve the children’s knowledge, release the children’s imagination and strengthen their Khmer identity and culture.
- Life Skills
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To encourage self esteem as well as tolerance and respect through life skills topics as peace education, environmental protection, and intercultural solidarity…
- English language
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This is a new activity of the centre which was started upon request of the children and their parents who have given high value to English language.
- WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE COMMUNITY?
To develop the children’s psychosocial, affective and learning abilities, they need to interact with their community. That’s why PKO has established close cooperation with community members (families, primary school teachers, education authorities, social workers, elderly people, and moral leaders).
Our Community Mobilization team has thus set up the following activities involving the community:
Monthly sensitization meetings in each village is conducted to discuss children’s development, importance of education, children’s play, and tolerance.
Organizing special events: open days, ceremonies, children’s show, story telling, toy making workshops with parents .
Community educational activities on: children’s rights, nutrition, HIV-AIDS prevention, domestic violence .
Personalized visits to families to encourage parents to send their children to school. These activities are implemented in order to sensitize parents, teachers, local authorities and community members to issues such as children’s rights, child abuses and trafficking, the importance of primary education, the role of parents, and the child status in the community.