NGS In Laos

The success of New Generation School programming in Cambodia helped the FFF to convince the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) in Lao PDR that a similar program could work to help promote innovative education there as well. After a year of high level meetings led by FFF board members and HRH Princess Beatrice of York supported by the UK Foreign Office (and especially the British ambassadors in Cambodia and Laos), the FFF funded a delegation of high officials in Laos to visit NGS facilities in Cambodia. The visit led to negotiations that culminated in an approved Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of the Lao PDR in February 2020. With the support of the UK Foreign Office as well as the leadership of the Ministry, NGS started operating In Laos in 2019 and with an approved MoU in hand, its first school in Laos in 2020.

New Generations Schools Programme

In Cambodia, we partner with Kampuchean Action for Primary Education (KAPE) to build, develop and scale a New Generation Schools (NGS) programme. This is the leading educational project in Cambodia and is now uniquely supported financially by the Cambodian government. The basic premise of NGS schools is to work with the government, within the existing education system, to develop academically excellent schools that are available to children from any socio-economic background.

In most schools in Cambodia, children learn by rote and teachers are often corrupt, undertrained and sometimes inept. However, by paying additional salaries to teachers, banning teacher moonlighting, improving governance structures, building libraries and IT rooms, upgrading the school environment and changing the children and indeed parent culture, New Generation Schools not only enable vast improvements in students’ education, and attitudes towards school, but also serve as a pioneering model of how collaborative work between government and NGOs can result in fundamental change.

For both KAPE and FFF, this is not a numbers game, but a quality one. This is about getting children with real potential into good schools. In two High Schools, the first generation of students to have completed the entirety of their secondary schooling within an NGS institution sat the Bac 2 exam in summer 2018 and achieved results that far exceeded the national average with respectively 89% and 75% pass rate. The results are not only outstanding, but KAPE’s teachers are both dedicated and innovative. This immediate success and exceptional value for money have won NGS unprecedented political support. The NGS programme is a key component of the National Education Reform Program. In 2014, the Prime Minister awarded a prize to one school as the 2nd best school in Cambodia. NGS currently counts 10 schools in the whole kingdom the Cambodian government is now fully funding a multi-million expansion for 2018/2019.

The FFF and KAPE are currently developing a dedicated Teacher Training College in partnership with the Government to ensure NGS has the supply of high quality teachers needed for the expansion.

The FFF is increasing its focus on advocacy, promoting NGS style solutions [link to NGS website] to educational reform agendas in developing Asia and beyond.

The Lake Clinic

The FFF is a joint funder and has been involve in shaping the strategy of the Lake Clinic (TLC) which is the sole provider of medical and health services to circa 50,000 people on the Tonle Sap Lake. The communities on the lake live in incredibly harsh circumstances with limited access to clean water or electricity, and very restricted or no access to healthcare services.

The Lake Clinic operates on boat and goes from one village to another to not only help people, but also prevent illness with early diagnosis and prevention treatments. The medical team, provides vaccinations, eye care services, antenatal care, and referral to hospitals, but also health education, which includes nutrition programmes.

In supporting TLC, the FFF is helping to provide these communities with access to key healthcare services. The Foundation is also working with TLC to provide expectant and young mothers with the nutritional and educational support they need to raise healthy children.

© NEW GENERATION SCHOOLS PROGRAMME 2020 . All rights reserved.