In early May, Apsara Authority, Cambodia's state-run organisation responsible for protection of the country's Angkor temple ruins, visited Wat Mon Thyean (WMT) Primary School for the second time. Official approval for the construction of four new classrooms and school latrines was granted.

The WMT school support committee -- consisting of the school director, teachers, commune leader, village chief, and three PTA leaders -- convened this week to mark off the position of the new building. The committee also made decisions to source material and build classroom desks and benches locally and to make classrooms and latrines accessible to the disabled.

The WMT community and SCC are still in the process of seeking qualified contractors to initiate the bidding process for the construction. Rapidly increasing costs of materials, which have nearly doubled the cost per classroom in the past six months, are leaving contractors afraid to engage in projects, particularly relatively small-scale projects like this one.  The community and SCC intend to initiate construction in June.

The WMT school support committee marks off the position of the new classroom building: