The Wong Meanreth School continues to grow in enrollment numbers.  More than 1000 students of all grade levels attend the school.  Fifteen years ago when the school first opened, we expected a little over 100 students.  On that first day 225 students came to classes.  While some students choose to remain at home to help support their families financially, most come to school knowing of the opportunity and potential that education brings to them, their families, their community, and their country.

Fans were installed in the classrooms this year to help ease the heat.  Continuous improvements were made to the school grounds to beautify it as well as keep the red clay dust down.  The old canteen that previously was the shelter for the school lunch program, was converted into a teacher office and new library for students.

With COVID-19 behind us, a joint education conference was held to realign education efforts across the local provinces.  This collaboration and exchange of ideas, problems, and solutions stimulates the efforts to provide a safe, caring, and appropriate learning environment for all students.

Access the 2022 Annual Report to learn the details and more.

This challenging year of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed everyone to innovate to keep the students safe and still provide teaching and learning.  Even though many students were at home, teachers delivered instruction on Khmer literature, Social Studies, History, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, and many others.  Extra hygiene and sanitation supplies were purchased, and a temperature machine was used to measure everyone before class to ensure safety.  Students and teachers were taught how to keep everyone safe and healthy.  It was a unique time to come together and help one another.

Improvement to the school buildings and grounds is an ongoing effort.  A second concrete road was finished, the latrine and its function were improved, and the fence and classroom buildings were painted inside and out.  The most pronounced improvement was the design and construction of a new school gate to showcase and proudly show to everyone who passes the name of the school and making the entrance more attractive and inviting.

With the new school gate and all the growth happening on the site, it was time to update the name of our school,  Formerly known as The Wong Meanreth Learning Campus, it is now called The Wong Meanreth School.  We know the impact the school has had on the lives of the students and the community.

Access the 2021 Annual Report to learn the details and more.

Continuous improvements were made on the campus.  A new reading shelter was built to provide a place for both teachers and students to rest, read, and cool off from the sun in an outdoor setting.  The campus was made safer by leveling up the dirt to help protect the grounds from floods, installing beautiful, tile floors in the classrooms, finishing a concrete road from the entrance to the classroom to ensure a safe walk to school, and concluding the installation of the base to showcase the animal statues representing the Khmer animal years.  Besides the annual books, school supplies, and hygiene products, we purchased a printer and supplies for the school.

There are 47 students living in the dormitory.  The First Days of School Foundation gave them a monthly allowance for living expenses.  The Youth Club was very active in the community with important social work-based projects including teaching about the importance of hygiene during this time.  Washing hands, cleaning the body, good oral hygiene, and how to eat were some of the demonstrations done in the community.  They also shared the young people the topic of human trafficking.  They were taught how to avoid bad people who might want to harm them.  The work of the Youth Club continues to send a positive ripple throughout the community.

Access the 2020 Annual Report to learn the details and more.

On February 2, 2019, a new school building was dedicated on the Wong Meanreth Learning Campus.  The construction was funded by the Nishiya family to build a dormitory for over 20 high school students who stay on campus because of the distance they must travel to school.  The Youth Club grew with 35 members with 18 females.  These students continue their learning by volunteering to support the local community as well as mentor the younger students to improve their studies in school.  With the foundation’s support, the Youth Club went on a Study Tour to visit Pursat Town and met with the Sustainable Cambodia Youth Club to learn and exchange ideas around community support and leadership.  They also got to visit several famous temples to learn more about Cambodian culture and ancestry.

Improvements were done to Wong Meanreth Campus that included a new water system, more books for the library, necessary teacher and office supplies, learning materials for both the primary and high school, and a wheelchair to support a new disabled student.  We even hosted a professional development conference presenting The First Days of School Foundation Program to 4 neighboring provinces.

Access the 2019 Annual Report to learn the details and more.