The second development phase at Kratie University, the sole government-owned university in north-east Cambodia, is already 70% finished and to be completed completely by July of this year. The expansion will greatly increase opportunities for higher learning among people of the region with more students housed and improved academe infrastructure.
This construction milestone was highlighted during a joint media visit organized by People's Daily on Saturday, where Chinese and Cambodian journalists toured the university campus under construction and received a briefing from Chen Chao, the Project Manager of the China-aided Phase II development.
We are building four major buildings and four dormitories," Chen said, noting that the construction involves two teacher dormitories, two student dormitories, two basketball courts, a rainwater drainage system for the campus, a sewage treatment system, and improved laboratory facilities.
The project also involves the supply of laboratory equipment to facilitate teaching and research. Both the first and second phases are being executed by China's Ministry of Commerce professional units, Chen added. The $8 million project will be formally transferred to Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in September. The Phase II groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 31, 2024, and was witnessed by Touch Visalsok, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and Zhong Jie, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia.
Foundational in 2015 by the government of Cambodia, the University of Kratie is the country's first public general university located in the northeast region. It has a range of programmes in vocational and technical education, associate's degrees, and undergraduate courses in areas such as education, business, community development, and agriculture. There are also research labs dedicated to rural development and agro-sustainability.
Being a showcase project of China's non-repayable aid to Cambodia, the university answers an important missing link in regional higher education and helps to support the country's national education infrastructure and system.
The initial development phase, which was finished in 2018, consisted of administrative offices, classrooms, a library, labs, a lecture theater, and a canteen, occupying approximately 6,600 square meters. Currently, the university has approximately 50 employees and around 500 students, primarily from surrounding provinces. Nevertheless, the limited availability of dormitories has hindered students from distant provinces from attending.
Phase II is being built on the western side of the campus and spans about 4,000 square metres. It comprises six sub-projects: two dormitories for teachers, two for students (one each for male and female students), a pump house, and renovations to Laboratory #1 from the first phase. The upgraded lab will receive structural, electrical, and interior improvements over an area of 222 square metres. China will also supply laboratory equipment and reagents.
The new dormitories have raised ground floors with two extra levels and sloping roofs that conform to local architectural designs. Combined, the facilities can accommodate 320 students and 80 teachers, further enhancing the university's ability to provide quality education in the country.
Ngy Laymithuna, Rector of the University of Kratie, said that after being finished, the dormitories will be able to house between 70 to 100 teachers and about 250 to 300 students. He pointed out that the facilities will particularly be helpful for students and teachers who come from remote or rural areas since they will offer vital housing assistance and will contribute to lowering the rate of dropouts among students from these areas.
