On May 12–13, 2026, our Chongkal District Area Program collaborated with community development partners, local authorities, and other stakeholders to organize a consultation meeting to explore support and identify new initiatives for two programs implemented simultaneously:
“Smart Start!” – a program focusing on raising awareness among caregivers/guardians or parents with children aged 0 to 5 years.
“Let’s Learn to Read!” – an FH program aligned with the national Early Grade Reading Package (Grades 1 to 3), including mentoring support.
At the opening of the program, Mr. Chheang Ke, Deputy Governor of Chongkal District in charge of education, delivered remarks encouraging all relevant stakeholders to actively participate in implementation, support, and collaboration to promote early childhood education. In particular, he emphasized raising awareness among parents and caregivers on proper child-rearing practices, including good health, adequate nutrition, responsive care, safety and security, and timely learning opportunities.
During the discussion, Mr. Lay Deun, Chief of Cheung Tien Commune, expressed his view that the “Smart Start!” program is highly important for improving parents’ and caregivers’ understanding of proper and quality childcare. He also noted that he plans to include activities related to parent education programs in the commune’s future investment plans, depending on the available commune budget.
Additionally, the three communes targeted by FH Cambodia in the Chongkal District area discussed their shared vision for promoting education and early childhood development, as well as key activities that contribute to achieving this vision.
Meanwhile, Mr. Oeng Bunthay, Head of the Office of Education, Youth and Sport of the Chongkal District Administration, stated that the “Let’s Learn to Read!” program of FH Cambodia is a significant contribution to complementing the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport’s national Early Grade Reading Package, which is currently being implemented nationwide across Cambodia. He encouraged school principals and teachers to collaborate, provide support, and actively participate in implementing the “Let’s Learn to Read!” program to improve students’ reading abilities.