It was the fifth year since the PIS Takumau campus started in 2019.
When we visited the campus for the first time in a year, the principal, Mr. Savon and his wife welcomed us with a warm smile.
It seemed the school building and classrooms are well equipped and appear to be in stable operation.
Mr. Savon explained the overall situation of the school, including management and the number of students.
The number of students are total 437, including both full-time and part-time students in general and children's English classes, has increased considerably from the time of the Corona disaster.
However, according to Mr. Savon, the economic recession caused by the Corona disaster has been prolonged, and some children have dropped out of school due to their parents' declining income, inflation, and other factors.
In addition, the lease contract for the current school building expires at the end of this year, and they have to find an alternative school building, which is a major concern for them at the moment.
We asked if it was possible to continue the contract at this location, but he said the current size of PIS would eventually outgrow the building, and they would like to move to a more pedestrian-friendly location, as it is located a little further in from the main street.
He said that they are now looking for a new location hurriedly.
When the meeting was over, the children gathered and waited for us in the school's assembly room, and we had time to interact with them while watching the new video we had prepared together.
First, we showed "The Story of a Little Life" for small children, a story about the bond between a little girl and a calf in a village, and asked them to share their thoughts and impressions of the story.
Next we showed "The Tale of Anuruddha," a Buddhist tale for slightly older children, and we glad that they also enjoyed it.
After taking a photo with the children, we were asked to meet with the PIS staffs and teachers at short notice to share our experiences and words of encouragement as founding partners of the school.
At the meeting, one of the teacher asked how to encourage students who have difficulty speaking up on their own. I answered they are too shy in front of everyone, so I suggested that they'd better start with one-on-one or small group conversations, or train themselves to talk about a specific topic once a day.
Some teachers have already tried this in their own classes, and I told them that it is important for teachers and staff to work together to share information and create an environment where they can consult with each other.
There were 13 teachers at PIS, including 4 foreign teachers, and although there was a lot of turnover during the Corona disaster due to various economic and other reasons, the teaching staff has finally settled down to a certain level, and the unity among teachers and staff seems to be growing.
We then visited PUC President Dr. Kol Pheng at his home to meet and greet him for the first time in a year.
The president seemed to be as energetic as ever despite his advanced age, and he welcomed us with the same calm expression.
He said that the management of PIS Takhmau is struggling and he is sorry that they have not been able to report positive results yet.
He also said that the Cambodian economy is also in a difficult situation, as it has been worldwide since the Corona disaster. He said that we have no choice but to be patient and do what we can do for the present.
A new airport will be built in Takhmau city, and will start full-scale operation next year. It will surely increase the logistics and human flow dramatically in Takhmau, not just as a city in the suburbs of Phnom Penh.
We hope that PIS Takhmau campus will be able to follow this trend and steadily develop.
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