HCM City Pagoda Offers Free Khmer Classes to Children

Monks at Pothiwong Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam are offering free Khmer language classes to ethnic Khmer children to preserve their cultural identity. The classes, running since 2013, serve students aged seven to 17 in small groups of 10-20. Students learn the Khmer alphabet, vowels, consonants, and punctuation, with instructors using Vietnamese phonetic transcriptions to aid comprehension.

Many students express a desire to connect with their heritage and families through language. One student hopes to become a police officer, while another plans to teach future classes.

The pagoda initially funded the classes independently, but now receives support from local authorities with materials and logistics. Venerable Danh Lây notes that continued support is crucial for the program’s sustainability as the city modernizes and faces challenges in maintaining ethnic languages.