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Connor Mycroft

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Cambodian education authorities to expand a computational training programme to cover early childhood learning in the Southeast Asian nation.
The MOU, which builds on an agreement signed last year to roll out the club’s CoolThink@JC programme in the country’s primary schools, was signed at the PBC (Philanthropy for Better Cities) Forum on Tuesday.
The programme was launched in 2016 and originally focused on providing quality computational thinking education to primary students across Hong Kong. It was co-created by the Jockey Club, the Education University of Hong Kong, City University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The framework combines computer programming with logical thinking, problem-solving and other areas.
Hong Kong’s Education Bureau formally introduced the programme to publicly funded schools in 2023. It was also adopted in mainland China through a “sister school” initiative launched in 2025.
Last year, the trust signed an MOU with Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to bring the programme to the country’s primary schools. It was officially rolled out earlier this year.

Under the initial agreement, the programme’s curricular materials are being introduced across 100 public schools in Cambodia between 2025 and 2028, reaching an estimated 30,000 students.
The latest MOU focuses on expanding the programme to cover early childhood education as well.
At Tuesday’s ceremony, the new agreement was described as “laying the groundwork for strengthening collaboration on early years support” and “marking a fresh chapter of cooperation and shared dedication to safeguarding the positive development of children everywhere”.
Kim Sethany, the permanent secretary of state for Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, signed the MOU alongside Gabriel Leung, the Jockey Club’s executive director for charities and community.
Sethany said that the initial roll-out of the programme had already surpassed expectations, noting that about 600 teachers were utilising the scheme in the first six months of implementation, despite the ministry initially estimating only 500 would take part between 2025 and 2028.
The programme is currently active in 40 schools nationwide, reaching about 16,000 students.
She added that she was especially proud that girls made up most of the students benefiting from the scheme.
“Watching these young girls collaborate, write code and confidently lead group projects proves that when we provide equal access to quality tools, gender barriers fade away and [their] potential shines through,” Sethany said.
The Jockey Club’s two-day forum brought together about 2,000 delegates from philanthropy, sports, government, business and academia to the city’s West Kowloon Cultural District.
During the event’s closing panel, former NBA star Yao Ming touched on what he described as the “athlete’s spirit” and how it exists in everyone.
He was joined on stage by top local athletes, including former Olympic swimmer Yvette Kong Man-yi, rugby sevens player and two-times Asian Games gold medalist Cado Lee Ka-to, and equestrian Jacqueline Lai Jing-man.
“‘Athlete’ is a spirit that lives in your mind,” Ming said. “Obviously the training will help you … but an athlete is not only [someone] that plays on the sports field. When you study hard, when you work hard, when you are passionate about something … that is athlete spirit too.”


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Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer computer training to more children in Cambodia

Cambodian students use a computer room at a school in 2018. The latest MOU builds on an agreement signed last year to roll out the CoolThink@JC programme in the country’s primary schools. Photo: AFP

Kim Sethany (centre), permanent secretary of state for Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and Gabriel Leung (right), the Jockey Club’s executive director for charities and community, present the signed MOU at Tuesday’s ceremony. Photo: Connor Mycroft

The programme was launched in 2016 and originally focused on providing quality computational thinking education to primary students across Hong Kong. Photo: David Wong

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Hong Kong

Education

Club’s charities trust signs MOU with Cambodian authorities to expand computational training programme to cover early childhood learning


Club’s charities trust signs MOU with Cambodian authorities to expand computational training programme to cover early childhood learning.


Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer computer training to more children in Cambodia

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Club’s charities trust signs MOU with Cambodian authorities to expand computational training programme to cover early childhood learning

Club’s charities trust signs MOU with Cambodian authorities to expand computational training programme to cover early childhood learning