NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON HELPING VULNERABLE GROUP

Objective 1: Capacity Building and Training
The capacity building and training activities of the Program will target 3 groups- the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, NGOs offering educational support services to children with disabilities and Special Schools.

K'cheay cluster (SvayTeap district, Svay Rieng)

Kompong Chak cluster (Rumduol district, Svay Rieng province)

DAY 1:

Opening Ceremony:

• A welcoming speech of Mr. Tau Kim Sean, the director of Siem Reap Provincial Office of Education, on behalf of local authority.
• A report of Mr.Yauk Sovann, the Deputy Director of Primary Education Dept. of the MoEYS that, 'He reported what happened after the Primary and Pre-school have been separated into 2 departments and staff who are working in special education office also have been separated, so we lack human resources'. He clarified the definition of Children with Special Needs such as poor, girls, ethnic minorities, children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
• A remark of Mr. Ngy San, the Deputy Director of DAC secretariat, "DAC is a coordinating body who works in the disability and rehabilitation sector. DAC don't give gifts to disabled people but we try to support them to live by themselves. We are grateful for the collaboration between ministries, IOs, NGOs and institutions to help disabled people. The programme still continues to provide technical support and capacity building to staff members of the Special Education Office (SEO)."
• A remark of Dr. Anupam Ahuja, Senior Consultant, Education, UNESCO PROAP, India, "We thank the MoEYS and DAC who have organized a great National Workshop and we have opportunities to meet together to share ideas, change experiences on helping vulnerable groups. We recognize well the real situation in Cambodia and we continue to support the programme. We all follow the EFA policy, we have done everything to access EFA and make it sustainable."
• Opening speech of HE Nou Muth, Under-secretary of State of MoEYS "It's amazing for me to attend this workshop, we have never heard before of a large workshop that focuses on vulnerable groups, it's the first time in Cambodia. We thank UNESCO, UNICEF, DAC, IOs, NGOs who work in this area. The Ministry supports deeply and asks IOs, NGOs to continue their support. Also the government policy to poverty reduction and let all vulnerable children to be educated."

Presentation of Dr. Anupam Ahuja,Senior Consultant, Education, UNESCO PROAP, India

Dr. Anupam Ahuja presented about best practices of Inclusive Education in the region. Inclusive Education can only be achieved with full support and participation of NGOs, community and schools. A video about best practices on Inclusive Education was shown. Most participants were really interested and asked questions with about how they are established and improved in the future.

Participants were paying attention and asked questions

Report of Provincial Implementation Teams on Implementation of Inclusive Education pilots

The heads of the Provincial Implementation Teams ( Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Kompong Speu, Sihanouk Vile, Kompong Thom and Battembang) reported their activities on Inclusive Education pilots. After report participants were divided into 6 groups for discussions. After discussion each representative provided feedback to the plenary and the responds to some questions have been made.

Questions:

1. Regarding to the senior consultant's intervention and PITs report
   - What are good things?
   - What are things can be improved?
   - Do you have any additional activities to develop IE programme?
2. Do you think IE programme will be able to implement in your area? Why?
3. Additional comment?

DAY 2:

Tour visit to the integration class, special school for deaf and blind children of Kruosar Thmey NGO and SOS Siem Reap children's village.

The Organising Committee (OC) organized into 3 groups to visit integrated class for deaf children, special schools for deaf and blind children and Save Our Souls (SOS) center.

During the visit participants need to focus on 5 areas as the following:

• Accessibility
• Environment
• Interaction
• Learner
• Teaching and learning processes

Participants divided into groups to visit integrated class for deaf children at Daun Aov Primary School and Save Our Souls (SOS) center

Presentation of Mr. Olof Sandkull, Associate Expert, Education and Human rights, UNESCO

Mr. Olof Sandkull, presented about the convention on the rights of the child and some other international principles and declarations with regard to rights for all children. The principles for human rights with regard to responsibility, Empowerment, participation and no discrimination.

DAY 3:

Special Needs Educational Training

DAC Special Needs Adviser, Dave Jones, did the training and participants did teacher practice on teaching and helping children with learning difficulties on:

• Recording & Identifying
• Classroom Observation
• Assessment Techniques
• Recommendations

Poor Children Sector

Mr. Nuon Sira Nhoearn, KAPE

He gave an intervention on helping poor children in the mainstream schools. He presented clearly on identifying children who are poor and other ways to help vulnerable group in the following activities:

• Scholarship for poor children
• Home economics
• Support for children with disabilities
• Scholarship for girl passing school
• Self-study at home
• Remedial class
• Life skill
• Food support
• Planing, budgeting and marketing

Also he presented the Child friendly activity that it focuses for all children especially children with special needs learning in the classroom.

Mr. Chan Kosom, SOS

Presentation about Save Our Souls (SOS) project to help poor and orphaned children to education and job placement after finishing school.

Ms. Cheam Kosal, Kruosar Thmey General Director,

She presented about KT activities on helping street children and trafficking children come back home from Thailand.

Also she presented both activities of KT: Special schools for deaf/blind children and for integration class in collaboration with the MoEYS.

DAY 4:

Gender and Girl's Education sector

Mr. Chum Sophal and Ms. Meach Sobunna, Gender and Girl's Education MoEYS secretariat staff, gave presentation the way to help and encourage girls to education at least finish low secondary school.

OPEN FORUM FOR NGOs

NGOs representatives from ADD, HI, CT, OEB, Cambokid, SOS, KT, Kape and Lavalla school presented their activities for exchange experiences to improve programme on helping children with special needs to access education.

Special Education Office

Mr. Yauk Sovann, Deputy Director of Primary Education of MoEYS

Mr. Nhean Sareun, Special Education Office chief and

Mr. Un Siren, Disability Officer of SEO

Clarified roles and responsibilities of the Special Education Office staff in line with both Central Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and Provincial Office of Education.

Then Provincial Office of Education officers were asked to develop plan of action on helping vulnerable children in their provinces following the 4-day workshop.

Plan for helping vulnerable group:

1-Situation:	Number of poors: .......; Female: ...... Number of ethnic minorities: .......; Female: ...... Number of children with disabilities: .......; Female: ......
2-Cooperation:	In your province what NGOs working in helping vulnerable group? What sector?
3-Action Plan:	Regarding to the 4 days workshop, you understand more ways to help vulnerable children, do you think which programme you can implement in your province? Why?
4-Priority Plan:	What is your Priority Action Plan in the future?
5-Your comments?

Closing ceremony:

• Report of Mr. Yauk Sovann, the chair of Organising Committee (OC)
  He reported the result we have done in the 4 days workshop. The MoEYS /POEs staff gain more experiences and will be able to take ownership of the roles and responsibilities when NGOs are finishing their projects.
• Remark of HE. Pech Sokhin, Siem Reap Deputy Governor, on behalf of local authority
  HE. Pech Sokhin, Siem Riep Deputy Governor welcomed all pariticipants of the national workshop and support all activities to promoting education for vulnerable group. The collaboration between institutions, NGOs, Ministries and all stakeholders should be strengthened to be able help children with special needs.
• Remark of Ms. Sue Fox, UNESCO Phnom Penh representative
  She thanked the participation of honorable guests and admired the workshop content, and recognized and supported the activities that led workshop finish successfully.
• Remark of Participant Representative:
  Mr. Yos Aun, Svay Rieng Primary Education Office, on behalf of participants, reported that all participants learned a great deal. They were interested to take part in this important workshop including study visits that made them more understood about the Inclusive Education, special education and integrated education that they have never known before. Participants had 8 points of suggestions to the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports.
• Closing Speech of HE Nou Muth, Under-Secretary of State of MoEYS
  HE. Nou Muth Uunder-Secretary of State of the MoEYS addressed a speech by sincerely thanking to UNESCO who provided financially and materially toward the success of workshop, without this invaluable support the event will not happen. Also thanks to Organising Committee who made its efforts to organise this such good workshop. He recommended that all Provincial Offices of Education have to improve and promote the education for all children, especially children with disabilities. 8 points of suggestion from participants, he also promised to bring to leadership of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and ask them to put into account and consideration.