Shrinking the urban-rural education gap by using computer programming

The education gap between urban and rural populations results in lack of equal opportunities and widens the economic gap between urban and rural people. The ICT in education programme, including computer programming, develops skills need in the 21st century. Skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving, are usually taught to students  in the capital city or provincial capital towns, but not to students in rural areas. This is due to the lack of infrastructure computers, Internet, electricity and ICT teachers in these areas. With recent improvements of the infrastructure in rural Cambodia, an opportunity has emerged to implement ICT education programmes in the rural areas to bridge this education gap.

Kawsang team has experiences in implementing Computational Thinking curriculum with New Generation Schools and with Teacher Education College (TEC) of the Ministry Education Youth and Sport Cambodia. With these experiences combine with our small proof-of-concept of delivering computer programming classes to students and teachers in rural areas, Kawsang will work with our local partner Khmer NGO for Education, which is based in Battambang to pilot Computer Programming curriculum to 3+ schools in Samlot area, Battambang province to strengthen education in rural areas.

Project Period: January - October 2023

Location: Battambang, Cambodia

Funded by: SPIDER

Partners: Kawsang, Khmer NGO for Education