A study tour is a popular activity of practical education, encouraging people to the place where they have never been before, in order to exchange knowledge, skills, and expand​ their experiences. This practical education was applied by Nutrition Education and Promotion Project (NEPP) to improve management and leadership skills among school principals in target schools. In Cambodia, some schools are famous for their unique or special activities and good operation. Hence, NEPP believes that the study tour is indispensable for school principals and target teachers to learn through best practices from other schools to apply and make a change in their schools.

NEPP conducted a study tour under different topics. For instances, in 2019 the topics of “waste management and resource mobilization” were conducted in Wat Bo and Kok Kreul primary school, Siem Reap province. Meanwhile, in 2021 “health care operation and school management” were conducted in Siem Reap and Kork Trop primary school, Kandal Steung District, Kandal Province. Besides, in 2022 after receiving recommendation from the School Health Department (SHD) of Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS) related to model schools in Cambodia, NEPP had discussed among the team and decided to select 2 schools in Svay Rieng Provinces, which were Svay Chrum primary school and Hun Sen Prasot high school. Both schools were recognized by MoEYS, and received awards of clean environment and best school principal.

In February 2023, NEPP invited School Health Department (SHD), Department of Education Youth and Sports (DoEYS) of Srei Santhor District and target teachers to visit both schools in Svay Rieng Province. While visiting, the teachers were giving a lot of compliments on environment, school management system, technology, hospitality, classroom decoration, etc. A teacher mentioned that “I want to arrange school gardening inside my schools in geometric shapes like Svay Chrum Primary School because it is very beautiful and beneficial for providing knowledge and life skill among the students”.

Furthermore, the most effective moment was a reflective meeting, SHD made a presentation to alert target school teachers by showing some photos of unclean situation in their own school. After study tour, the teachers realized their problems, they discussed enthusiastically to apply what they have learnt from both schools such as school gardening, health care room operation, waste management and maintenance system for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), etc. Currently, there are some remarkable changes, for example, in Srei Santhor high school, they start arranging place for parking lot and food stall of school vendors. Not only the building itself, but the school vendors also collaborate with school principal to reduce selling unhealthy food, manage their own waste and somehow, they also support some materials for the school.

Before

Parking lot before study tour

Food stall of school vendor before study tour

After

Constructing parking lot after study tour

Food stall of school vendor after study tour

Finally, we conducted a workshop on menstruation targeting older girls. We explained the mechanism of menstruation, foods to avoid during menstruation, recommended practices during menstruation, and other related topics, using real-life examples. We concluded the session by demonstrating how to use and dispose of sanitary pads, allowing the students to practice as well.

Even the study tour has finished, but monitoring process is still going on. SHD collaborated with DoEYS of Srei Santhor District to follow up plan and implementation in target schools. Plus, NEPP will never leave target schools to do it alone, we will try to support them both hardware and soft skills until their schools achieve more remarkable changes. In the future, NEPP will organize a study tour in opposite way by challenging our target schools to be prepared for nearby schools in Srei Santhor District to come and visit them. Hopefully, this concept can stimulate them to develop and be ready as the model school.