The Cambodia Rural School Project
The Stefan Ellis School
(August, 2001)
Mr. Taing Ban Leng is the director of the Stefan Ellis School. He has been a second grade teacher for 20 years and a director for the past 13. He is married with five children. None of them go to the school because they have all moved on to middle or high school.
In Their Own Words. . .
| On the new building: | “I like the new building because before there was not enough room for all of our students. Now, we have enough space, although even more students have come and our enrollment has increased. I am looking forward to another increase in enrollment in when the new school year begins in September. The kids like the new school, so they want to come. The new building is also good for the village because it means that all of the kids in the village can go to school because it is much closer to the village.”
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| On school subjects: | “My students like mathematics because they understand it well and it is easy for them. They dislike Khmer because the lessons are long and it is difficult for them sometimes. I like to teach Khmer most because it is important for all of my students to be literate. I don’t like to teach applied science because my students don’t think that it’s important, so they don’t pay attention.”
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| On the future of his children: | “I think it is important for my children to finish high school because it means that they are educated and can find jobs easily. I don’t want my children to become teachers because the salary is too small.” |
