Phnom Penh: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has recently acknowledged Cambodia's significant progress in the realms of education and sports. This commendation was shared by Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, during the closing ceremony of the ASEAN-Japan workshop. The event, focused on Promoting Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) and Sports for Persons with Disabilities (SPD) for the fiscal year 2023, concluded in Phnom Penh on February 22.

The workshop, supported by Japan's Sport for Tomorrow initiative, spanned four days and welcomed educational officials from all ASEAN member states, including Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Chamroeun highlighted the workshop's vital role in enhancing physical and mental health among students across all educational levels.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the workshop serves as a pivotal platform for fostering relations and cooperation among ASEAN members. It aligns with the ASEAN-Japan objective of human resources development in physical education and sports, ultimately aiming to bolster the health of ASEAN populations—a key driver of regional economic growth.

The initiative also seeks to spread awareness of Cambodia's action plan on the promotion of physical education and to facilitate mutual learning among ASEAN countries. Organized by the National Institute of Physical Education and Sports, in partnership with the Nippon Sport Science University of Japan, the workshop ran from February 19 to 22.