Students sit an exam at Preah Sisowath High School on December 5. Hong Menea
The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications urged the students who completed the recent High School Diploma examinations to embrace digital technology, which it said plays an important role in daily life, business, public service and other services.
The encouragement came following the December 5-6 examinations, which saw 128,135 candidates flock to 221 exam centres across the country. The results for Phnom Penh and neighbouring Kandal province will be released on December 27, with the remaining scores posted the following day.
The ministry said that students who have recently completed the exams are considering which major to pursue at university while they await their results.
Currently, skills related to digital technologies such as computer science, telecommunications and networking, e-commerce and information technology (IT) are very popular choices for students and their parents, but information needed for decision-making remains limited, it added.
“The ministry encourages students to consider digital technology and related skills to improve their ability to access well-paid employment opportunities. This will improve the income of their families and contribute to the government’s vision of building a digital society,” it said.
The ministry recently announced that it will provide scholarships related to digital technology in 2023 to between 300 and 500 students pursuing Bachelor, Masters and PhD qualifications at educational institutions within the Kingdom, and abroad.
It also provides training courses to between 1,000 and 2,000 students. The courses range from three months to a year. Between 2,000 and 5,000 civil servants will also receive training to increase the efficiency of their work.
Hong Tola, a first-year IT student who is receiving additional courses from the ministry, encouraged students who have just finished high school this year to consider pursuing digital skills, as he thinks there is a growing demand in these areas.
“I think more people will be required in these fields, as technology advances. Even now, there are many positions available in the labour market,” he said.
According to a 2021 survey by the IT Department of the Ministry of Interior, the Kingdom will require an ever-increasing number of stakeholders if it wants to implement a digital economy and society.
The department said that human resources need to be trained to meet the demands of the mechanisms that will need to be in place to achieve the government’s vision.
In order to be competitive in the job market and to contribute to the national development, the department advised the youth to continue expanding their knowledge and professional skills, while also addressing their shortcomings.
They should also improve their understanding of at least one foreign language and uphold the dignity, morality, ethics and solidarity of their communities. It suggested that developing the habit of reading widely is an excellent way of improving themselves.
