PHNOM PENH: Following the success of its new Phnom Penh campus opened in August 2022, the Golden Gate American School (GGAS) has begun construction on a new site in the Meanchey district. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Minister of Defence, DPM Tea Banh, where the school celebrated the start of its sixth campus since being established in 1996.
Speaking at the ceremony on June 21, GGAS General Director Heng Sokunthea said that the new Meanchey campus was only made possible due to the support and trust of parents and students, along with the Royal Government, who continues to contribute to the development of education in Cambodia. The new campus is estimated to cost nearly $23 million USD.
The new building is located off Samdech Techo Hun Sen Blvd in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district. The site covers an area of 5 hectares with a total of 32,585 square meters of indoor space including administrative buildings, kindergartens, an elementary school, high school buildings, conference halls, student dormitories and gymnasiums. School athletes will have access to a football field, basketball and volleyball courts, swimming pools, and playgrounds. The campus will accommodate approximately 2,500 students and can provide employment opportunities to about 500 teachers and academic staff.
DPM Tea Banh said that he welcomed GGAS expansion as a contribution to government policies aimed at development. He added that human resource development is a top priority for the government and institutions like GGAS are helping produce skilled leaders for the future.
"I firmly believe that through the development of a foundation now, including efforts to teach students in both Khmer and foreign languages, students will become a skilled human resource to lead Cambodian forward," he said.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, students received awards for outstanding achievements.
GGAS was established in 1996 and offers kindergarten, in addition to courses in English, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, computer skills, marketing, administration, and accounting.
In 2009-2010, the school began offering general education classes in Khmer, English and Chinese for secondary education. They employ academic staff and teachers with strong educational backgrounds and their curricula are in line with the standards of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. Upon graduation from GGAS, students receive two certificates: one from the Cambodian Department of Education and the other a USA-certified high school diploma.
