Speak Truth To Power
(Courage Without Borders in Khmer)
EDUCATION CURRICULUM in KHMER
Cover of Curriculum
Training Workshop Banner (Oct. 2011 - mid 2012)
4. The Educational Curriculum
It took several phases over a period of many months to create this Courage Without Borders Khmer curriculum:
a. English Drafting of the Khmer Curriculum
First, the drafting of the Khmer curriculum in the English language is based on discussions among CIVICUS Cambodia Theary Seng (Phnom Penh), RFK Center STTP director John Heffernan (Washington, DC), and RFK Center's education consultant Karen Robinson-Cloete (New York) which occurred in person and over Skype conference calls. With comments and ideas from Kerry Kennedy after her inaugural visit to Cambodia for the STTP launch in Feb. 2011. The layout of the English draft was done in New York by a consultation company.
Among all the defenders, we decided to focus on 8 individuals whose works and issues resonate with the current situation in Cambodia:
(i) Elie Wiesel (Romania) "Genocide"
(ii) Marina Pisklakova (Russia) "Domestic Violence"
(iii) Juliana Dogbadzi (Ghana) "Slavery/Trafficking"
(iv) Vaclav Havel (Czech Republic) "Free Expression"
(v) Muhammad Yunus (Bangladesh) "Right to Credit"
(vi) Desmond Tutu (South Africa) "Reconciliation"
(vii) Ka Hsaw Wa (Burma) "Corporate Social Responsibility"
(viii) Kailash Satyarthi (India) "Child Labor"
b. Khmer Translation of the English Draft and Layout
Those who have worked with translation from the English into the Khmer language can appreciate the process--the content quality of making sure the Khmer language makes sense; preserving the spirit and meaning of the original English content; the technical difficulties of a language which has words running together and is unfamiliar with punctuation, proper nouns; the disharmony of the old Limon (pictorial) system and the new Unicode system as well as the incongruencies within each system; the formatting/layout... A simple process which normally should take 2 hrs. takes 2 days, or even weeks and of course always with surprises never before encountered...
We had several translators at different times translate the evolving English version into the Khmer language. Toward the middle and the end of the translation process, Ms. Theary Seng tediously line-by-line scrutinized the Khmer version with the English text for content integrity and comprehensibility.
Scrutinizing the Khmer translation for content integrity to the English text as well as for comprehensibility: executive assistant Sivnin line-by-line reads the Khmer translation as CIVICUS Cambodia president edits in light of the English version in front of her (e.g. one interview takes a full day to edit).
Finally, we worked with a layout designer to put everything together as suggestions and comments gleaned from the consultation process (workshops and private review of drafts) continue to stream in.
Burning the midnight oil: Theary Seng with layout designer Rany Song finalizing the design of the Khmer curriculum Courage Without Borders (CIVICUS Cambodia Phnom Penh, Aug. 2011)
c. Consultation on the Khmer Draft Curriculum with Wide-range of Educators
We met in person at consultation workshops with approximately 40 senior educators from four northwest provinces of Siem Reap, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Thom as well as senior educators from Phnom Penh and Kandal Province.
Additionally, we sent out the draft Khmer curriculum to another 60 educators (World Vision, Don Bosco, etc.) for their review and comments. These educators comprised a wide-range of experiences, fields and backgrounds in education from teachers and superintendents to monks and government officials, from workers in NGOs and associations to monks and university professors.
d. Printing and Launch of the Final Curriculum in Khmer in time for the October 2011 School Year
e. Training Workshops of the Khmer Curriculum for Educators across Cambodia
* * * * *
Consultation Workshops on the
Draft Khmer Curriculum Courage Without Borders
. . .
Wat Damnak, Siem Reap
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Theary Seng meeting with monks, teachers, superintendents from four provinces (Siem Reap, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Thom) at Wat Damnak (Siem Reap, 9 Aug. 2011). More information and photos...
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CIVICUS Cambodia Phnom Penh
Saturday, 13 Aug. 2011
Theary Seng meeting with teachers from around Phnom Penh and Kandal Province (CIVICUS Cambodia Phnom Penh office, Saturday, 13 Aug. 2011). For more info and photos . . .
Theary Seng meeting with 20 teachers, divided into 3 groups, to finalize the edits on the Khmer curriculum before it goes to the printing press (CIVICUS Cambodia, Saturday, 3 Sept. 2011). More photos...
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TRAINING WORKSHOPS in 20 Provinces/Municipalities
on the KHMER CURRICULUM for Teachers, Monks and other Educators
Oct. 2011 to mid-2012
Letter of CIVICUS Cambodia founding president Theary Seng
introducing the Khmer Curriculum
Courage Curriculum in Kampong Chhang Province
Sunday, 9 Oct. 2011
Aranh Pagoda in Kampong Chhnang province, 9 Oct. 2011
Courage Curriculum Training in Takeo Province
Sunday, 16 Oct. 2011
Ompor Wanaram Pagoda in Takeo Province, 16 Oct. 2011
Courage Curriculum Training in Kampot Province
Sunday, 17 Oct. 2011
Botum Prangsy Tanaram (or Stung) Pagoda in Kampot province, 17 Oct. 2011
Courage Curriculum Training in Kandal Province
Independence Day, 9 Nov. 2011
Sa'ang District, Kandal Province, 9 Nov. 2011
Courage Curriculum Training in Kampong Thom Province
Sunday, 4 Dec. 2011
Srayov Pagoda, Kampong Thom Province, 4 Dec. 2011
Courage Curriculum Training in Kampong Speu Province
Khang Cheurng Pagoda, Sunday, 19 Feb. 2012
Theary Seng introducing the amiable, easy-going provincial deputy governor Chan Dara
Spean Chivit Church, Kien Svay, Kandal Province
Sunday, 26 Feb. 2012
Courage Curriculum Training in Pursat Province
Keo Sovann Pagoda (Friday, 2 March 2012)
A monk reading the section on "The Chronology of Human Rights" from the Courage Without Borders Curriculum at the Pursat Training for 140-plus teachers, monks and provincial authority.
More info and photos...
Courage Curriculum in Battambang Province
Poveal Pagoda, Sunday, 4 March 2012
140 teachers, teacher-trainees, monks attended the COURAGE WITHOUT BORDERS curriculum training conducted by CIVICUS Cambodia.
Courage Curriculum Training in Siem Reap
Thursday, 8 March 2012 -- International Women's Day
The very progressive, courageous, amiable Venerable Chhun Chhoeurn (deputy chief to the equally progressive, courageous and amiable Venerable Somnieng the chief monk of Wat Damnak, a 5-minute walk across the bridge from Psah Chas or Old Market in Siem Reap) who gave the opening and closing remarks to 60 monks and 60 teachers at the Courage Without Borders curriculum training. He mentioned how this is his first time attending a gathering despite his busy schedule because he wants to support our initiative and asks the teachers and monks to support this Courage curriculum as well.
Dropping off 5 copies for the educational NGO run by South Koreans. When our tuk-tuk had a flat tire, Kerry Kennedy visited this NGO while we waited for another tuk-tuk to come by... Main road in Puok between Siem Reap town and Silk Farm (Siem Reap in Feb. 2011)
Dropping a few copies for the High School library in Puok, a town next to Siem Reap
. . . . .
Our Partners:
- Wat Damnak in Siem Reap and other Provincial Pagodas
- Pannasastra University of Cambodia
- Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association (CITA)
- Cambodian Human Rights Committee of Royal Government, headed by H.E. Om Yentieng
- Don Bosco Technical Training Center
. . . . .
* We welcome all other educational institutions in the dissemination of these high quality materials. Please contact us.
** The STTP/Courage Without Borders project in Cambodia is fully funded by The Charitable Foundation (Australia).
*** All the materials are further disseminated via press releases/public announcements which cover all the news outlet (nationally and internally), Ms. Theary Seng's personal website which receives an average of 400 unique visitors per day (averaging 10,000/month), Ms. Theary Seng's Facebook which counts 2,700 "friends" (as of May 2011), KI-Media which has 15-30,000 visitors per day (not including its mirror websites), etc.
