AKP Phnom Penh, May 29, 2026 -- 
Educational and vocational opportunities for residents and youth in Cambodia’s northwestern Banteay Meanchey province received a significant boost Thursday with the official inauguration of a new Lifelong Learning Centre building, funded by the government and people of Japan. 
The facility, located in Chup Veary commune of Preah Netr Preah district, aims to enhance community knowledge and provide accessible vocational training for all ages, serving as a vital hub for inclusive public education. 
The grand opening ceremony, held on May 28 afternoon at the Preah Netr Preah District Office of Education, Youth, and Sport, was presided over by Banteay Meanchey Provincial leaders. 
The event drew high-profile attendees, including Dr. Dy Samsideth, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Education; Mr. Atsushi Yonezawa, Head of the Consular Office of Japan in Siem Reap; and Srey Sakan, Cambodia Country Director for the international NGO Children Without Borders (KNK). 
Local authorities, educators, and hundreds of local students and youth also attended the ceremony. 
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Dy Samsideth underscored the centre’s alignment with the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport's National Policy on Lifelong Learning. 
"Education does not end when one leaves formal schooling," Dr. Samsideth said. "This centre will act as a crucial bridge, offering equal and inclusive opportunities for individuals of all ages—including school dropouts, out-of-school children, and community youth—to acquire general education and basic vocational skills tailored to today's job market." 
He expressed deep gratitude to the Government of Japan and KNK for their steadfast partnership, urging the centre’s management and instructors to design flexible, practical curricula that directly improve local livelihoods, transforming the facility into a sustainable "community knowledge bank." 
For his part, Banteay Meanchey Governor H.E. Oum Reatrey expressed profound gratitude to the Japanese government and people for their generous infrastructure support through KNK Cambodia. 
"This new achievement is a vital catalyst in providing a proper learning environment where our citizens can acquire skills to lift up their families and communities," Governor Oum Reatrey said. He added that human resource development remains a core pillar of the Cambodian Royal Government’s national strategy, while calling on local authorities and residents to maintain the building for future generations. 
Representing the Japanese side, Atsushi Yonezawa congratulated the province on the milestone and reiterated Japan's commitment to supporting human resource development in Cambodia. 
He expressed strong optimism that the centre will actively upgrade the quality of life for the people of Preah Netr Preah district by fostering equal access to education. 
The establishment of the Lifelong Learning Centre directly aligns with the Cambodian Royal Government’s "Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1," which prioritises human capital development as the cornerstone for driving national economic growth and building a highly skilled, morally grounded workforce.

 
By K. Rithy Reak