Day 3: First Day of VIA at Watroka Primary School

Today is our first day at Watroka Primary. After so many sessions of preparing for the lessons with the Cambodian children, we really look forward to meeting them for the first time.

Briefing before we start work

Digging for soil to form the floor of the new classroom

Helping to level the ground of a new classroom we are building

Unearthing 'treasures' as we dig

Team work makes all the work easier!

Helping to set up the pipes to lead the water into the worksite

After spending the entire morning to afternoon leveling the ground, we need to add water and concrete next.

Watroka Primary's Library

Playing Capteh during our lunch break

Playing 'Cross the River' with the children

Lessons with the Cambodian students

Learning together with the children

Class photo!

Before we left, a photo in front of the classroom we are building

Reflections:

Jason 3A

The primary school is very different from Singapore. They will manually hit a bell to indicate break and dismissal time. The classrooms do not have fans or lights or air conditioning. While shovelling the sand, I saw 2 young Cambodian children carrying heavy loads of soil under the hot sun. 

I feel that we should appreciate our education system in Singapore. I realised not many children have the opportunity to have a good and conducive environment for learning and we should appreciate the luxury we receive.

I wonder if I would be able to do well if our school condition were similar to here. I also wonder if I can work for long period of time shoveling the sand like today.

3T1 Marzuqi

I saw many children walking to school. It was a very long walk from the road to the school. Some did not wear shoes and some no shirt. I am glad there are buses that stop right in front of our school.

I think we are very fortunate to be born in Singapore with all the facilities. I also think we can do better at building the classroom this morning.

I wonder how I can help the children even in the smallest ways.

3D Donn

I saw many Cambodian children coming to school happily. Some of their uniform are no longer white in colour. There were some rubbish on the floor too.

I feel that classrooms should be clean in order to have a good learning environment. While interacting with the students, they were really excited to learn and also participated actively in the activities planned for them.


I wonder if I can teach them more as it was a bit tough to communicate with them. The language barrier was a challenge.