The Faculty of Education’s Department of Lifelong Learning at the state-run Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) on November 15 held an award ceremony for its first essay competition.

The ceremony was presided over by Samheng Boros, secretary of state for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, and San Vathana, under-secretary of state for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and chairman of the RUPP board.

The competition was decided based on a three-person-team essay composition contest. The teams were tasked with describing how adopting lifelong learning habits would contribute to the development of the Kingdom’s human capital – and how this in turn would drive economic development and lift Cambodia from a high middle income country by 2030 to a high income one by 2050.

Ten finalists were chosen, from which the top five teams were selected.

First prize goes to the Beltei International School team. Prek Leap New Generation High School in Phnom Penh are second, with third going to the team from Kampong Chheuteal High School in Kampong Thom province.

Fourth goes to the team from Samdech Akka Moha Thamma Pothisal Chea Sim Prek Anchanh High School and in fifth are the students from Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Khsach Kandal High School in Kandal province.

According to Moeurn Chantrea, director of the lifelong learning department who announced the results, the first placed team won three computers, a golden trophy, letters of commendation and 1,300,000 riel ($300). The second and third placed teams won silver and bronze trophies along with 1,200,000 and 1,100,000 riel respectively, in addition to study materials and letters of commendation.

The fourth and fifth placed teams were awarded with 1,000,000 and 900,000 riel.

Each of the remaining top 10 squads were gifted 600,000 riel as their reward for making the final.

The competition was open to students in grades 10-12, in the 2021-22 academic year. Each team of three was required to submit original work.

A total of 38 teams from high schools across the country entered the competition, according to the department.

Chantrea said the topic had been selected to help young Cambodians understand their own future contribution to the Kingdom’s development, as well as to encourage them to examine the keywords in the topic. He believed that understanding what a high middle income country is would give them invaluable context while thinking about development.

“These are things that will guide young people to start thinking about their part in the government’s vision and what they can do to help achieve it,” he added.