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Published: September 28th 2007
The Gates
Inside the gates of Phnom Penh's Royal University of Law and EconomicsI gave up teaching because I despised grading, calling parents and harassing kids for homework that was six weeks overdue. Yet, here I was, back in a classroom. Only this time in Cambodia.
Somehow, throughout my nascent journalism career, I have wound-up back in schools. First, I covered Chicago Public Schools and now this.
My first assignment for work brought me to Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh.
Basically, in Cambodia the collegiate population has risen 250 percent since 2001. The economy here is starting to grow but well-paying jobs are still extremely scarce. With the job market being so narrow many students, and their families, are taking the gamble of paying a good amount of money to send their kids to university with the hopes they will land a good job. The odds of making it are severely stacked against them. Many of these schools are akin to the University of Phoenix; simply money-making machines that offer little in the way of qualifications.
The students face an intense amount of pressure. Failure to secure a job means usually sitting at home, in a remote village, unemployed and with no income.
It’s high
The Halls
A shot of RULE's hallways. Very old school. stakes.
I will most likely finish the story on Monday but I wanted to relay my experiences at the university.
In talking with many students, their ambition, determination and intellect were palpable. But, even more so, was their trepidation.
Walking around RULE was eye-opening. Mingling with well-dressed Cambodian students are Buddhist monks adorned in their saffron-colored robes. At first glance the distinction between the two groups is apparent. However, it was interesting to see the interaction between them.
To an outsider, these two groups couldn’t have been more different. One set was a standard college crew while the other is devoutly dedicated. Yet, here in Cambodia, those difference seemingly do not exist. And Burma is teaching the world jus how highly-revered Buddhist monks are in these societies.
One student we met, a mild-mannered man from a poor province, was seated on an outside bench waiting for class to start. My translator and I approached him, identified ourselves and told him about our employment story.“I have nothing to say,” he said with a smile of embarrassment.
But, after we put him at ease, the 22-year-old started to open up.
“There is not a time
The Student Population
RULE is as diverse as it gets. Wealthy Cambodians mix with students from the poor provinces as well as Buddhist monks like this man. during the day that I don’t worry about this,” he said. “My parents are paying a lot of money for me to study and I have to get a job to support them.”
In a nutshell the story is about a younger generation in an economically promising third-world country who want desperately to make it and put the civil strife and memories of the Khmer Rouge behind them.
Unfortunately, stable economies don't grow overnight and it will most likely be future generations that reap the benefits of these students' ambition, hard work and overall love of Cambodia.
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Tony Zaya
non-member comment
Education
Helfrich - I knew that you would get back in the education mode sooner or later. Amazing the school where you were, can you imagine if the students in America faced the same motivation to do well in school? This is where the problem lies and why we got so pissed off day in and day out. It's because kid's like Justin Gooch give more thought about what color popsicle they will be eating after school than any other thing going on. Just thought I would throw a little blast from the past your way. Hope all is well. TZaya