More Cambodian Parents Able to Afford to send their Children Abroad for Study

Year after year, more Cambodian parents are able to send their children to study in abroad, according to managers of education consultancy companies in Cambodia. They said every year up to 140 students were sent to study abroad.

They suspect the reason why they were able to send their children to study abroad was because there was economic growth in recent years in Cambodia and they had succeeded in their businesses or occupation. Furthermore, Cambodian students are qualified to study in foreign universities or colleges because they have deep English knowledge.

Sreng Mao, acting country director of International Development Program/ Cambodia (IDP Cambodia), which is part-owned by Australia’s Universities, said that the number of Cambodian students who had been sent to study abroad increased every year.

Mao said according to IDP Cambodia’s report 2008, between 130 and 140 Cambodian students were sent to study abroad through IDP Cambodia’s coordination and organization.

“I noted that in the last three-four years, Cambodia’s economy has grown very well and that makes many Cambodian people have good living-conditions. And more Cambodian parents could send their children to study abroad,” he said.

Chea Se, under secretary of state at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), said his ministry appreciated the private companies and schools for organizing study abroad and providing scholarships to Cambodian students as well as government civil servants.

He said, “Study abroad is the most qualified and excellent for the graduates. They can invest in modern and up to date study for their long-term academic and professional success in well-known universities or colleges abroad.”

He added, “I think that after completion of graduation, they will extend their education, strengthen their leadership and technical skills and build networks that will enable them to further contribute to Cambodian human resources development and Cambodia’s development.”

Mao said many of his students who were sent to study abroad through his company are to continue studying Bachelor or Master Degrees in universities and colleges in Australia. And she said about 50 percent of students were female.

He said the fee to study abroad is between US $25,000 and US $30,000 per year—including accommodation and other expenses.

Since establishment of IDP Cambodia in 1992, Mao said hundreds of Cambodian graduates were sent to study abroad via the coordination and organization of IDP Cambodia. And most of them who finished their study abroad work with Cambodian government ministries, NGOs, private institutions and international companies both in and outside Cambodia.

Siem Leakana, general director of LKN Cambodia Co., Ltd which is a leading company in providing international education consultancy for study abroad, also said that more Cambodian people have sent their children to study abroad every year.

Leakana said that since providing international consultancy for study abroad in 2003, his Company helped about 350 Cambodian students to study in 18 countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Germany, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United Sates. She said the average fees for study abroad were between US $6,000 and US $7,000 per year for Asian countries and between US $12,000 and US $13,000 per year for European countries.

She said most students who applied for study abroad through her company were from business families, rich people and high-ranking government and non-government organizations.

Through her company, she said about 80 percent of students who studied abroad got part-time work to help them fund their studies.

Chheng Piseth, Education Consultant with Angkor Cambodia Tours which is also a local consultancy for study abroad, said that every year, his company also helped about 50 Cambodian students to study in the United Sates, New Zealand and Switzerland.

He said that most students who finished their study abroad got good jobs with good salaries in Cambodia while others got jobs with international companies and organizations based in countries in Asia or Europe.

Nakry Sovann, 19, a graduate who will be going to study a Design Course at a university in the United Kingdom via LKN Cambodia Co., LTD, in early September 2008, said that she was so happy that she could continue studying in the United Kingdom.

Sovann said, “I decided to obtain my Design Certificate in United Kingdom because I think that studying in the UK is the most profitable and can qualify graduates to find work. On the other hand, I am available to study the advanced arts of technology with truly exceptional facilities and good English speaking people.”

She added, “I hope that after the completion of studies, my English speaking will be fluent and my design knowledge will be excellent. I hope that I will find a good job and salary in Cambodia when I come back.”

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