In 2018, Mr. Heng Vengsan was promoted to become the principal of Lavea Te Primary School, one of the small schools in our target schools, located in Srei Santhor District, Kampong Cham Province.

When Mr. Vengsan started working with us, he lacked confidence and often tried to solve problems independently. However, after joining our training programs, he gradually became a better leader and improved his leadership skills. 

Mr. Heng Vengsan,  School Principal of Lavea Te Primary School

However, his journey wasn’t easy.

One of his biggest challenges was keeping the school clean and safe. Since the school and the temple are located next to each other, students and visitors use the same gate to enter. This means that this gate cannot be closed for the convenience of the school, and it must be open at all times. Anyone can come at any time. Thus, a group of teenagers and local gangs often came at night, leaving trash and damaging school property, like breaking toilet doors. At first, Mr. Vengsan tried to handle the problem alone. He called the police and patrolled the school at night, but the gang kept causing trouble. Feeling frustrated, he almost gave up, thinking that he couldn’t solve the problem by himself.

Things got worse when the gang broke into the school’s health education room. They broke the door, smashed a glass wall, and stole first aid supplies. The health education room is an important place for children, so Mr. Vengsan felt strongly that he had to do something about it this time. Realizing he couldn’t solve the problem alone, he decided to ask for help. He knew that this wasn’t just a school problem—it was a community issue.

The glass cabinet was broken by a gang

1. Mr.Vengsan took action. He reported the problem to the School Management Committee, the local police, and the District Governor, asking everyone to work together. With their support, the police arrested the gang members. His effort paid off finally. To his surprise, the gang members were former students of Lavea Te Primary School.

Mr. Vengsan conducted a meeting with teachers

Mr. Vengsan conducted a meeting with parents/caretakers.

This made Mr. Vengsan question his education and discipline. “Maybe I wasn’t good enough,” he thought, wondering if he had failed to teach the students proper discipline. But instead of giving up, he came up with a plan to prevent future problems.

Mr. Vengsan suggested strengthening moral education and life skills during study sessions held for teachers and parents. He emphasized that creating an environment where children are cared for not only in school but also throughout the entire community is essential for achieving this goal.

He also addressed the issue of the former students who had broken into the health education room. While the former students were arrested by the police and faced punishment, the principal did not believe that this should not be the end of their story. He recognized that support was needed to help these students personal growth, and therefore contacted the high school they were currently attending to request teacher monitoring. As a result, the former students were not expelled and were able to make a fresh start at the same school, with the support of the school, families, and the local community working together to provide guidance and support..

Today, Lavea Te Primary School is a cleaner, safer, and better place for students to learn. Teachers and the community have praised Mr. Vengsan for his hard work, and the school has become an example of how teamwork and determination can bring real change.

Mr. Vengsan’s story shows that even challenges can be turned into opportunities for success. Through his leadership, Lavea Te Primary School has overcome its struggles and become a source of hope and inspiration for other schools facing similar problems.