Schools libraries

The aim of the "school libraries" program is to support the implementation of the national policy for school libraries at different levels of education. School libraries are complementary and indispensable resources to educational programs, strengthening students' learning and developing their curiosity and creativity.

Since 1991, Sipar has initiated and developed actions in favor of school libraries, in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEJS). This work led to the institutionalization of the program and the establishment of a national policy for libraries in primary schools.

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With this collaboration, Sipar continues its action in the field of education:

Establishment of libraries, training and follow-up in primary schools

Since 1992, more than 300 libraries have been set up and hundreds of teachers trained in library management. Sipar continues to support libraries by remaining a technical support and renewing the stock of books.

Building schools in remote areas

Since 1996, thanks to loyal donors, Sipar has built 38 school buildings. We always respond to a request from local education authorities.

Reading and training corners in community kindergartens

To compensate for the lack of educational materials in community kindergartens, Sipar sets up reading corners and provides technical support to educators. Early childhood is gradually becoming a priority area of education in Cambodia, but there is still a long way to go.

Strengthening school library standards and training

Sipar continues its joint work with the NGOs Room To Read and SVA (Shanti Volunteer Association) in support of the MeJS Primary, Training and Programme Development Department to produce and disseminate the School Library Standards throughout the country, allowing primary school principals and parents' committees to refer to common criteria for installing and managing a library in their school.

Collaboration with teacher training centers

In order to spread the taste for reading and make the book a real pedagogical tool, Sipar works in collaboration with the Provincial Pedagogical Schools, training centers for future teachers. From 2005 to 2010, with the support of the European Union, Sipar supported the creation of the training curriculum for student teachers on libraries and children's books, allowing them to animate reading projects and encourage children to visit the library.

Orientation corners in secondary schools

From 2019, Sipar decided to launch career guidance corners in secondary school libraries. The first was launched in March 2019. Following the success of this pilot project, Sipar launched in October 2021 a new program whose objective is to extend this initiative to 15 other high schools, equipping them with career guidance corner and a mobile computer laboratory (Nomad Lab) developed by the NGO Passerelles Numériques Cambodia, partner of the project.

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45

micro libraries installed in public schools

39

primary schools constructed with a computerized library

315

libraries in primary schools