Retired [Korean] professor founds art schools in Cambodia

Lee Chan-hae poses with Cambodian children during the opening ceremony of El Dream Arts School in Canadia, Cambodia, last month. (Lee Chan-hae)

17th April, 2012
By Park Min-young
claire@heraldm.com
The Korea Herald

Two art schools will open in Cambodia this year, built by a retired Korean music professor. They will be the first-ever private schools specializing in arts in the Southeast Asian nation.

Lee Chan-hae, a former professor at Yonsei University’s College of Music, is behind the establishment of Phnom Penh Institute of Art in Beong Keng Kong 1, and El Dream Arts School in Canadia, an industrial area in the country.

Phnom Penh Institute of Art will be have a college, a pre-college for middle and high school students and classes for gifted children aged 3-12 and adults. It is scheduled to open Oct. 6. Students will be able to learn ballet and fine art there as well as music.

Situated in the living and working zone of an industrial area with a population of over 300,000 thousand workers, El Dream Arts School will offer classes for everyone from 3-year-olds to adults, but not college degree programs. The school, which opened in March will begin offering classes in June 18. All classes will be offered in English.

“Phnom Penh Institute of Art will have over 400 students, as it should in order to be approved as a college. But El Dream Arts School is not a college, so it can be more liberal with the number of the students. We are still expecting quite a large number, though, as it is a populated area and the school is the first of its kind. I hope it benefits as many people as possible,” Lee told The Korea Herald.

Lee, who served as a professor in Korea for 34 years, was shocked to find out during her visit to Cambodia in 2007 for missionary work that kids there receive no music education at schools.

“Classrooms have no organs, no pianos. Unlike how we have school songs in Korea, they don’t. I have never even met any Cambodian student who was able to finish their national anthem. The schools (in Cambodia) offer almost nothing in terms of art and music,” said Lee.

So after retiring two years ago, she got down to building art schools there at her own expense, although she did not wish to reveal the exact amount.

“Music is all I can do. I have a certain sense of duty that I should help out at countries that are less fortunate than ours, if they are in need of my help in anyway. I am also planning to build schools in other countries as well, such as Laos,” said Lee.

The tuition will not be free because the quality of classes has to reach a certain level, she said. But it will not be too costly, because she understands the financial situation of the region. Professors who agree with the school’s vision will come to teach from all over the world, including the U.S. and Austria.

“We will run many scholarship programs and get sponsorships,” she said.

Lee has high hopes for the youngest ones who will enter the school, the 3-year-olds.

“What would be the difference between the 3-year-olds in Paris, Manhattan, Seoul, or Cambodia? Nothing, because they are not educated yet. I think they will be given the same chance if we give them the ideal education taught in other places of the world,” said Lee.