Cambodian ID card police graduate in IT training

A group of 76 Cambodian police has completed a two-month training course in Information Technology designed to improve their ability to process ID cards for Cambodian citizens. The trainees received graduation certificates during a closing ceremony on 9 August which was attended by senior officials of the General Commissariat of National Police and UNDP Cambodia.

The course, which ran from 2 June to 6 August, was organised through the support of UNDP’s Strengthening Democracy and Electoral Processes in Cambodia Project (SDEP). It aimed to improve the capacity of National ID card personnel from 23 provinces and one municipality in managing mobile computer-based ID card data capturing units.

During the course, the trainees learned to operate basic computer programmes including Microsoft Office and internet and e-mail applications.

Although they already knew how to handle computers, using internet and e-mail was totally new to many of them.

“When I am back in my office, I will share what I have learned here with my colleagues and try to help them with any question they might have,” said police Maj. Sgt. Om Chyvon from the Statistics and Identity Card Department in Stung Treng province. She was among the nine women who attended the training. She said she would open an e-mail account on the internet to connect with friends and help her in her work.

Col. Keo Chuop, Deputy Director of Department for ID Cards, Statistics and Passports under the General Commissariat of National Police, said he wanted to upgrade his knowledge about IT. His office oversees the system of producing ID cards nationwide.

“If I do not upgrade my knowledge and skills, I won’t be able to manage and evaluate the work done in the offices in the 23 provinces and Phnom Penh municipality,” he said.

Presiding over the graduation ceremony, H.E. Yun Chhunny, Deputy General Police Commissioner, stressed on the significance of ID cards for Cambodian citizens.

“It is an essential document that can be used for several purposes including for daily life, to elect their representative through elections and also to contribute to strengthening democracy in Cambodia,” he said in his opening remarks at the ceremony.

He urged the graduates to apply their newly acquired skills effectively and “with respect to the codes of conduct that police officers have to follow. “

The need for ID cards is expected to increase substantially in the next three years. According to estimates by the Ministry of Interior, several million ID cards will either expire or due to be issued for the first time to Cambodians aged 15 or older during the period of 2010-2013. The estimates for the year 2010 alone show that more than 2 million ID cards need to be renewed or issued. An additional 5 million would be needed for the period 2011-2013.

UNDP Cambodia’s Country Director Elena Tischenko underlined the significance of the training, saying it is part of UNDP’s support to the broader effort to strengthen democratic reform and electoral processes in the country through technical assistance and capacity development.

She took note of the extensive planning and preparations done by the Ministry of Interior to try to respond effectively to the need of renewal and issuance of so many ID cards to the Cambodian citizens. This included strengthening IT capacities of its police personnel through information technology training.

“Acknowledging the significance of having a national ID card system, while being careful to overcome any challenges in implementing it, the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with UNDP, has made efforts to improve the security of the system,” she said in a speech.

During the ceremony, Ms. Tischenko and H.E. Yun Chhunny also signed and exchanged documents to hand over US$700,000 worth of IT equipment to the Ministry to help manage ID card production and the national ID card system as a whole.