UNESCO in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MoCFA) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), implemented the pilot project on the “Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in a formal education in Cambodia’’, in partnership with the Cambodian Living Arts (CLA), and was financially supported by the Chengdu Culture and Tourism Foundation in China.
The project aimed to generate collective knowledge of integrating intangible cultural heritage in the education system in Cambodia, and to enhance the existing educational methodologies in formal education settings in the country. To understand the current syllabi of ICH in schools and to integrate ICH into the formal curriculum, four public schools were selected as a pilot case to sensitize teachers, students, and ICH practitioners on the importance of ICH in and through education. The MoEYS selected New Generation School (NGS) in Phnom Penh, Sala Aneuwath O’Bek Om – an attached school to Phnom Penh Teacher Education College (PNH-TEC) – Sao Hoeu Secondary School in Battambang, and Sala Aneuwath in Battambang, an attached school to Battambang Teacher Education College (BTB-TEC).
Through a number of periodical interactions between schoolteachers, ICH practitioners, and CLAs, teaching materials including photos, documentary films, videos, and slide presentations, were prepared to supplement class lessons and activities, to enable students to easily understand and learn about ICH. Arts teachers in selected schools also received training to effectively prepare teaching materials about ICH before classes.
15 ICH elements were selected as ICH educational materials: they are 1. a kite, 2. Traditional mural paintings in Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, Wat Rajabo (Siem Reap Province) and Wat Kompong Tralach Loeu (Kompong Chhnang Province), 3. Mask-making of Lakhaon Khaol (Masked Theater), 4. Kbach Angkor (Angkor Style decorative elements), 5. traditional mat weaving, 6. mask mold-Reamker, 7. Sbek Toch (Small Shadow Puppet), 8. Royal Ballet, 9. Yiké-Noré (Yike Song 1: one of the Khmer theater form), 10. Yiké-Chha Aoranao (Yike Song 2: One of the Khmer theatre form), 11. Baisey (banana leaves offerings), 12. Plengkar Boran (traditional wedding music), 13. Mahory Orchestra, 14. Kaum (Flying Lanterns), and 15. Pin Peat Orchestra. These educational materials were tested, prepared, and finalized by the CLAs in consultation with UNESCO, MoEYS, and MoCFA.
The finalized ICH educational materials will be stored in a digital library and will be published for use in the classrooms by all teachers and students in Cambodia.
UNESCO is thankful for the support of Chengdu Culture and Tourism Foundation in China and will continue to work closely with MoCFA and MoEYS to further disseminate the results of the ICH project, and expand the project scale in different school settings.
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