Chinese language skills seen as gateway to better job in Cambodia

Chinese language skills seen as gateway to better job in Cambodia
June 14, 2008

While English remains the most popular foreign language among students
in Cambodia, Chinese is fast catching up as young Khmers increasingly
view it as a gateway to better jobs in the country's growing
industrial and tourism sectors, according to the June 13-26 edition of
the English-language bi-weekly the Phnom Penh Post.

The biggest Chinese school in Cambodia is the Duan Hoa Chinese School,
which has two branches in Phnom Penh and over 7,000 students, the
newspaper said.

The school has been open since 1992 and caters mainly to Chinese
students, although some Cambodians and Vietnamese also study there,
said administration manager Kim Hean.

"Often, students are trying to learn Chinese so they can join the
families business or find work in a private company, especially
working in factories or in the tourism industry as many Chinese
investors are coming to Cambodia now," Kim Hean was quoted as saying.

China has emerged as one of Cambodia's largest investment partners,
and is heavily involved not only in the garment sector, but
construction and other industries.

"I learn Chinese because I saw how many Chinese companies and
factories there are in Cambodia and I want to be able to work at these
places," said Chea Sokbouy, who is now studying in Grade 11 at Duan
Hoa.

Another Chinese language school, the Chhung Cheng Chinese School, is
popular with Chinese-Khmer families, said the deputy director of the
school, ChanTirin.

Of the 2,000 pupils at Chhung Cheng, most come from Chinese or Chinese-
Khmer families who, while continuing to study in Cambodian state-run
schools, realize the value in today's society of speaking two
languages.

Tirin said that preserving the Chinese language in Cambodia was an
important motivation for many students, but securing a high-paying job
also remained a driving force for learning Chinese.

Besides, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen set to sign a sub-decree
that will put the Chinese language on the national curriculum at
university level, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Education
Chea Se said.

Source: Xinhua
.

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