EDUCATION FOR DEAF AND BLIND CHILDREN
Thirty years ago, Krousar Thmey launched Cambodia’s first special education program for deaf and blind children. Since then, much progress has been made, and thousands of people with visual or hearing disabilities have been able to integrate into society, thanks in particular to the schools founded by the NGO. Their transfer to the Cambodian government in 2019 was both a source of pride and a crucial step in ensuring that all this work would continue over the long term. To ensure that the process runs smoothly, annual evaluation missions are carried out from 2021 to 2024; the last one took place last June and marks the start of a new chapter.
The results of this audit highlight the positive management of the specialized schools by the Cambodian Ministry of Education and provide final recommendations to strengthen their future operations. The focus of this meeting is on the training of special education teachers and sign language interpreters, but also on improving courses by integrating student feedback, structuring lessons, and organizing regular technical meetings with staff.
Krousar Thmey and INES at the last audit in June 2024
In addition, the resources allocated by the Cambodian government remain a crucial factor in meeting the need for adapted textbooks, teaching materials accessible to the most disadvantaged pupils, and the development of support and learning platforms and software.
A final report, summarizing all the recommendations made over the past four years, was submitted to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in August 2024. From then on, the Ministry will be in charge of resolving each point by incorporating them into its next Strategic Educational Plan. In addition to ensuring the sustainability of the education system for children with disabilities, this also marks a great success for Krousar Thmey, which is thus realizing its primary philosophy: “Projects by Cambodians for Cambodians”.
