A screenshot of the digital school website. Photo supplied
Over the past two months, more than 80,000 individuals have engaged with the “digital school” initiative introduced in late 2023 by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, boasting an extensive collection of over 10,000 books.
Accessible through sala.moeys.gov.kh, the digital school caters to students and individuals of all ages, offering a diverse range of reading materials across subjects and genres.
Ministry spokesperson Khuon Vicheka highlights the ministry’s strategic use of a YouTube channel and various social media platforms to amplify information dissemination and share knowledge from diverse sources. As a result of their continued efforts, they have developed an additional app for digital learning, available since the end of 2023.
“The primary purpose of this digital resource is to serve as a forum, fostering a conducive environment for both learning and teaching. Additionally, the platform functions as an online means to share resources and knowledge,” she says.
Educational transformation unveiled
Vicheka spotlights the ministry’s response to the 21st-century context, releasing books, documents and video clips online, encompassing diverse academic subjects. Focusing on the digital school programme, the ministry actively shares resources, documents and educational resources.
As of February 4, user numbers had reached 89,438, with 1,836 textbooks and 118 lessons available, and these figures consistently grow each day.
“This [open] forum enables users to create lessons, libraries or scholarly articles and share them,” she says.
Therefore, this online educational platform offers abundant opportunities, particularly benefiting students in rural areas. Anyone can access free education through the website through their smartphone, she said.
Duong Mony, a fourth-year student at the University of Kratie, emphasises the significant advantages of this digital forum for parents, students and teachers in both urban and rural areas. The programme, presented in Khmer, offers a variety of lessons and knowledge in literature, art, English, mathematics, technology, innovation and other scientific fields.
User-friendly learning interface
Mony, a 20-year-old student, notes that the website utilises a particularly user-friendly interface, eliminating the need for exhaustive searches for relevant documents, lessons or exercises.
He also points out that teachers can contribute additional lessons or knowledge to the forum, enriching it with valuable reading materials and articles for self-development.
He says that this approach is distinct from many schools that provide integrated lessons in various subjects, facilitating students who attend extra classes after school.
“Parents can provide additional tutoring at home using the lessons in this digital programme. It also aids teachers in facilitating effective teaching, as students grasp lessons quickly through extensive reading,” he says.
Leng Chivon, an instructor of Physics at the New Generation School (NGS) within Preah Sisowath High School in Phnom Penh, tells The Post that, based on her awareness of the Digital School App and insights from education minister Hang Chuon Naron, this platform holds significant importance for students, teachers and the general public.
“Accessing new knowledge, technologies, video tutorials and exercises for all subjects is effortlessly available to the general public. Students and teachers can also stay informed about scholarships and science fairs, both nationally and internationally,” she says.
