Over the past year, Fórsa has partnered with See Beyond Borders Ireland to improve the quality of primary education in Cambodia.

Thanks to over €20,000 in donations from the Fórsa Developing World Fund, See Beyond Borders has successfully continued its Transform Education Programme, improving the school experience for more than 3,000 children across 20 government primary schools in the remote rural districts of Krahlanh and Srei Snam in Siem Reap province, Cambodia.  

Children in this region face significant challenges in accessing quality education, but this project is changing that by empowering teachers and school leaders to make a lasting impact. 

By the end of the first year of the programme, 84 teachers were empowered to identify and actively pursue their professional development goals through the Teacher Professional Identity and Leadership in Learning modules. They achieved this by participating in workshops, attending monthly reflective sessions, and receiving ongoing mentoring. 

32 school leaders were also equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive progressive teaching and learning practices across 20 primary schools. This was achieved through leadership workshops, and ongoing support, including school visits, online meetings, and reflective sessions. 

Community engagement events were also successfully held in 16 schools a part of this program. These events, named 'Education Inspires', were led and organised by school leaders, with parents invited to see their children's learning displayed and observe their learning processes. Teachers also showcased their work and explained their roles to parents, outlining how parents could better contribute to their children's education. 

The overall impact on student learning in the first year was also extremely positive, 22% of students achieved proficiency in literacy - exceeding the 18% target, and proving that interventions to enhance school leadership and teaching practices effectively contributed to improved student learning outcomes. 

Funded by 3% of every member’s union subscription, the Fórsa Developing World Fund gives over €600,000 a year to projects around the world, allowing Fórsa members to directly assist in crucial humanitarian efforts and support human rights and development activities in various countries. 

For 15 years, See Beyond Borders has been committed to empowering Cambodian children through quality education, engaging with over 250 schools and supporting more than 700 teachers, positively impacting the lives of over 30,000 students. 

Founded by Ed and Kate Shuttleworth, the organisation was inspired by the challenges they witnessed during a visit to Cambodia in 2002.  

For decades now, Cambodia has been experiencing what the World Bank calls ‘a learning crisis’. On average, a Cambodian child will spend just 4.7 years in school, with less than 3% of Cambodian children reaching minimum learning standards in numeracy and literacy.

Fórsa’s national secretary Richy Carrothers highlighted the impact of the union’s contributions, noting that Cambodia has one of the youngest populations globally. He emphasised that, thanks to Fórsa members’ support, teaching and learning opportunities were enhanced for over 3,000 children this year alone—children who might not have had the same opportunity otherwise. 

Speaking about the broader significance of the initiative, he said, “The work of organisations such as See Beyond Borders is essential in addressing the learning crisis in Cambodia. These children’s futures are on the line, not only their education. Positive learning can shape and transform the lives of every single one of these children.” 

Richy also expressed Fórsa’s pride in supporting See Beyond Borders and reaffirmed the union’s commitment to the cause: “We at Fórsa are very proud to support the incredible work See Beyond Borders do in providing quality education and support to empower Cambodian children, and Fórsa has committed to a total project spend of €60,000 over three years.’ 

You can learn more about See Beyond Borders here.  Watch our video about Fórsa’s global solidarity work here. 

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