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backIntroduction – How it Began
A collaboration between ACIS(S) and the Association of Private School and Colleges (APSC) was endorsed by both Associations in Dec 2010. There were five areas of collaboration agreed upon, one being to jointly organise Singapore Education seminars and fair’s overseas. Both Associations also agreed that they should mainly concentrate on the Asia region.
Since then ACIS(S) has been actively pursuing a Singapore Education Fair and it was decided by the President to hold the first joint education fair in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as it is an emerging market with political stability and rapid improving economic development and a young population (43% below the age of 15). Many Cambodians realised the importance of education, and with the improved economy, more and more Cambodians are able to afford education overseas. This being a fact when the Cambodian Prime Minister’s 3-day visit to Singapore in July 2010 signalled his Country’s desire to strengthen the relations between Singapore and Cambodia.
ACIS(S) thus set about in establishing a network in Cambodia, sourcing for information such as venues, suitable dates, etc., and in getting input on costing from its network in Phnom Penh. A concept paper was subsequently tabled and was endorsed in December 2010 by both ACIS(S) and APSC.
The Singapore Education Fair in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was to be held over a 2-day period at a neutral venue preceded with an opening ceremony cum dinner the evening before at a hotel where the participating delegates would be staying.
To attract a greater number of visitors, it was decided that the Fair should be held over a weekend, and to ensure that we had greater number of visitors, we had to establish a link with education institutions there and solicit their support by encouraging their students and their parents to visit the Fair, and provide transport to bring them from their respective schools to the Fair.
The Opening Day of the Education Fair Phnom Penh on 3 Sep 2011
The exhibition was held at the Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh. About 0730hrs the hall was set up; Interpreters for participating delegates arrived at about the same time to undergo last minute preparations.
Around 0900hrs the doors to the exhibition was opened and more than 500 visitors arrived. Everyone was simply overwhelmed; the
exhibition hall and the presentation room could hardly contain all of them. Students came from many schools from Junior to Senior High Schools.
Day Two - 4 Sep 2011
The second day of the Fair that was opened to the public. It was somewhat a quieter day, as expected though visitors started to enter at about 0915 hrs. Two schools had sent between 30 - 50 students each to visit the Fair. There were approximately some 300 visitors that day; some of them, students from the local university and many were parents bringing their children looking for either primary school education or secondary school education in Singapore.
At the end of the day everyone participation had a good time at the event!
ACIS(S) is hopefully looking forward to working with APSC next year to organise the 2nd Annual Education Fair in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.