A class at the southern Pali education complementary school. (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

The southern Pali education complementary school was upgraded and expanded on the basis of an old school on the grounds of Kh'Leang pagoda in Soc Trang city.

Covering nearly 10,000 square meters, the school comprises a headquarters area, classrooms, a lab, and other functional rooms, serving 7 classes from grade 6 to grade 12. The school has 45 teachers and auxiliary staff.

There are three programs: continuing education at the middle school and high school level, a Pali grammar program, and Khmer language and literature at the high school level.

Lam Nhum, the school’s principal, said that textbooks and the Khmer and Pali language syllabus are from the Ministry of Education and Training.

“Under a Khmer language training project from 2019 to 2023 for officials, civil servants, and public employees in Soc Trang province, we have organized 4 training courses involving approximately 1,000 people. We have also worked with the Soc Trang Radio and Television Station to teach the Khmer language on TV,” said Lam Nhum.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, 21 of the school’s 192 students received an “excellent” rating and 69 others received a “good” rating.

Monk Danh Tien from Kien Giang province told VOV that the curriculum of the school is like that of other high schools, but adds Khmer, Pali, and English as well.

“Students who stay at the school are provided good conditions for living and studying. There is a separate canteen for them. Students in grade 12 will decide whether or not to continue their studies when they graduate,” he said.

What makes the southern Pali education complementary school special is that on top of general education the school’s mission is to explain Party and State guidelines and policies.

According to Le Trang Xuan Mong, an English teacher and homeroom teacher of grade 12, as the students are of different ages, some even have limited Vietnamese, which makes it hard to teach them.

“Teachers often hold tutoring sessions, let the monk students read newspapers, or give them extra exercises to practice their writing. Math teachers use social networks like Zalo or Facebook to teach extra classes,” said Mong.

In addition to the subjects usually taught at ordinary schools, the monks study Khmer literature and the Pali language.

Danh Men, Deputy Head of the school’s Education Section, said, “The curriculum of the monks is unique compared to ordinary schools. It is divided into two parts, 75% for the general studies and 25% for the Pali and Khmer languages."

"When they finish grade 12, the students take a graduation exam with their peers from other high schools. In addition to getting a graduation diploma they also get a certificate for the Khmer language.”

Since its establishment, the school has trained more than 1,200 student monks, many of whom have continued to study at Buddhist academies in Vietnam or abroad after graduation.