Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Indian Embassy in Phnom Penh have signed Memorandums of Understanding for three Quick Impact Projects that will be executed by the ministry with grant assistance from the Government of India. The signing ceremony took place with H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, and H.E. Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Ambassador of India to Cambodia, as signatories.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the projects include initiatives such as Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools in Kampong Cham Province, the development of the India-Cambodia Friendship School in Kampong Cham following the standard model for schools by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and a Climate Resilient School Water System in Prey Veng Province. These projects are part of India’s Act East Policy under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, marking a decade of this policy’s implementation.

In her a
ddress, H.E. Ambassador Devyani Khobragade emphasized the significance of the Quick Impact Projects under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, noting that every year 10 such projects are undertaken in Cambodia with grant assistance of US$ 50,000 each. To date, 54 projects have been initiated, with 41 completed and 13 in various stages of completion. These projects span various areas including health, sanitation, and women’s empowerment, among others. In the education sector specifically, there have been 13 Quick Impact Projects executed, including the construction of sanitation facilities and classrooms, as well as information technology centres at various universities.

Ambassador Khobragade highlighted the opportunities for cooperation between India and Cambodia in education, particularly in capacity building and human resource development. She mentioned that 300 Cambodian officials travel to India annually for training under the ITEC programme, fully funded by the Government of India. Scholarships are also provid
ed to Cambodian students for various levels of higher education in India, with 65 students benefiting from such scholarships this year alone. In total, over 3000 Cambodian nationals have received training in India through the ITEC programme, which includes many courses tailored specifically for Cambodia.

H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron expressed gratitude for India’s longstanding support to Cambodia, particularly following the Khmer Rouge regime. He thanked India for its assistance with the conservation of Angkor Wat and other ongoing heritage conservation efforts in Cambodia. He also conveyed appreciation, on behalf of Cambodian school children, to the Government of India for the grant assistance provided through the Quick Impact Projects.