Real Ideas for Continuing Education (R.I.C.E.) Fair 2010

Graduating high school students in Kampong Cham province are fortunate to be situated near the nation’s capital, and thus several of the country’s best universities. Recruitment events are definitely in demand and hosted in high schools. However, increased access to information doesn’t necessarily mean those students know what the next four years of their life may be like. Kampong Cham-based Peace Corps Education volunteers found that many of their students weren’t clear on college life, mostly asking: How do I choose a major? How will I achieve academic success in my university? How do I live in Phnom Penh? What do I need to know about safety and security in Phnom Penh?
Seven Peace Corps volunteers working in rural Kampong Cham high schools and the RTTC (Regional Teacher Training Center) planned and implemented the first provincial-wide Real Ideas for Continuing Education (R.I.C.E.) Fair at the University of Management and Economics in Kampong Cham town on June 25, 2010. They brought alive these issues by inviting representatives from their local community and Phnom Penh, such as college students, professors, and speakers from fourteen organizations and universities.
Current university students hosted student panel discussions, where students and other guests from throughout the province, and interested students from Kralanh High School, Siem Reap, learned more about these hot topics. Choosing a major was hands down the most popular discussion. After hearing their insider advice, over 550 participants took away fliers, brochures, and promotions, and most importantly, formed realistic expectations of university.