SIEM REAP Province, Cambodia – September 17, 2025

Over 500 members of the school community, including students, teachers, and parents, gathered at Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School to celebrate the inauguration of the newly installed road safety infrastructure aimed at protecting young lives on their daily journeys to school.

The event was graced by H.E. Min Meanvy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Secretary-General of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC);H.E. Dy Rado, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap Province; Mrs. Seang,Sustainability and Community Investment Lead fromPrudential Cambodia.

The ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting, traditional dance performances, and interactive road safety lessons led by teachers. Students also showcased creative performances and shared thank-you notes to partners, expressing their appreciation for the safer school environment.

Safeguarding Young Lives on the Road Across Cambodia

The objective of the inauguration ceremony was to strengthen road safety awareness and skills among students and school leaders, with a focus on pedestrian safety, speed limits in school zones, and the use of newly introduced infrastructure modifications at the school. The modifications atHun Sen Prasat Bakong High School includeinstallations of the 30km/h Speed Limit traffic signs, slow down traffic signs, rumble strips, slow down markings, flashing Beacons, zebra-crossing, and stop traffic signs.

The inauguration ceremony featured ribbon-cutting by key participants and distinguished guests, followed by an educational activity lesson on the “Give Way Rule” and ‘Low Speed at School Zone” led by teachers and a traditional dance performed by students of Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School.

Speakers included representatives from the Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sports, AIP Foundation Cambodia, Prudential Cambodia, and the Siem Reap Provincial Governor, who highlighted the importance of road safety education and infrastructure improvements. Participants also saw a new road safety TV commercial produced by Prudence Foundation and Prudential Cambodia.

Students shared their voices through a creative performance on road safety in school zones and thank-you notes to partners. The event concluded withH.E Min Meanvy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Secretary-General of the NRSC, officially announcing the opening of safer road infrastructure modifications at Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School and three other target schools of the program.

“Ensuring the safety of our children and youth on the roads is a shared responsibility. Through initiatives like today’s inauguration of safer school zones, we are not only improving school infrastructure but also equipping students with the knowledge and skills to stay safe. This combination of education and safer environments through infrastructure modifications is essential to protecting young lives and building a culture of road safety in Cambodia,”shared H.E Min Meanvy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Secretary-General of the NRSC.

A regional program for road safety

TheSAFE STEPS – Road Safetyprogram in Cambodia, began in March 2022,  aims to mitigate risks on the road by providing students with safety equipment and road traffic education. The program encompasses a holistic approach in which education is key for safe road user behaviors, in addition to the helmet safety component of the program.

Under the Phase 2 of the program, which started in November 2024, a series of activities have been added by establishing a provincial technical working group at each target province and building their capacity on effective schools’ road safety interventions, especially on the use of the Star Rating for School (SR4S) tool to assess the safety of road infrastructure around the school zones for modification.

TheSAFE STEPS – Road SafetyCambodiaprogram is part of theSAFE STEPS KIDSprogram, developed by the Prudence Foundation in partnership with Cartoon Network and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). The program aims to equip millions of children across Asia and Africa with actionable information designed to save lives and create a future generation that is well-prepared and resilient to life-threatening situations. Core to the program is a series of animations being aired across Cartoon Network channels in Asia, reaching over 35 million households.

“Every child deserves to travel safely to and from school each day. By introducing road safety modifications in school zones, we are creating safer spaces for students to learn, grow, and thrive. These improvements, combined with the support of parents, schools leaders, and the wider community, are vital steps toward building a culture of road safety for Cambodia’s future generations,” said Mrs. Seang Leakhena, Sustainability and Community Investment Lead from Prudential Cambodia.