Transforming education in Cambodia

Cambodia is committed to improving children’s learning and delivering quality education to all, by working with GPE and other partners. H.E. Lim Sothea, Director general of policy and planning at Cambodia’s ministry of education, talks about the country’s journey to achieving large-scale and sustainable change that benefits every child.

May 20, 2024 by GPE Secretariat

5 minutes read

Grade 1 students show their drawings to their classmates during a lesson at Chambak Haer Primary School, Puok District in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Credit: GPE/Roun Ry — Grade 1 students show their drawings to their classmates during a lesson at Chambak Haer Primary School, Puok District in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Credit: GPE/Roun Ry

Having achieved nearly universal primary education by 2012, Cambodia broadened its education goals to focus on the quality of education in addition to access. Teacher reform has been a key priority of Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, with strategies to improve teacher recruitment and performance over recent years.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged progress, and evidence of learning loss has strengthened Cambodia’s commitment to deliver quality education to all: in 2021, 45% of grade 6 students were not proficient in Khmer language compared with 34% in 2016, and 74% were not proficient in mathematics compared with 49% in 2016.

As detailed in Cambodia’s Partnership Compact, the government is working with GPE and other partners to improve student learning.

We spoke with His Excellency Lim Sothea, Director General of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport about Cambodia’s journey to achieving large-scale and sustainable change that benefits every child.

What does system transformation mean in the context of Cambodia?

“System transformation in Cambodia means renewing the commitment and actions required to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It means an education system that is more relevant and resilient to address the learning crisis and build a knowledge-based society in line with Cambodia’s national aspirations.
System transformation is part of Cambodia’s development process, continuing the country’s rebuilding from ground zero in education in the 1980s. This process has been led by the education ministry, with partner support that includes GPE, which has been implemented over 15 years.
System transformation also means the mitigation of pandemic-related learning loss. We only have a partial picture of the pandemic’s impact on children’s learning, and the system transformation interventions will address and monitor this situation.
Cambodia aims to have quality learning, with all teachers using new evidence-based materials in effective ways, supported by professional training, mentoring and digital resources.”

H.E. Lim Sothea

Prom Sopheany, teacher, leads a class at Preah Vihear Provincial Teacher Training College (PTTC) in Preah Vihear, Cambodia. Credit: GPE/Roun Ry — Prom Sopheany, teacher, leads a class at Preah Vihear Provincial Teacher Training College (PTTC) in Preah Vihear, Cambodia.

Credit:
GPE/Roun Ry

Why did Cambodia choose “improve student learning outcomes” as the priority reform? And how can this priority unlock system transformation?

“Cambodia worked in a collaborative manner to select the priority reform, which is also the main function of schools: ensuring that all children can achieve learning outcomes to enable them to become 21^st-century citizens. Effective classroom practice is key to making progress and will address teaching, learning and gender equality.
There has been much foundation work underpinning this reform. Cambodia has achieved a 97% net enrollment rate in primary education, and a sure way to increase retention for higher grades is to ensure that quality education at early grades gives all students the opportunity and competency to continue their education through secondary and then tertiary or vocational education. Early grade learning expansion is key to building foundational skills and unlocking future learning. In addition, multilingual and inclusive education helps ensure no one is left behind.
Cambodia monitors learning using a variety of standardized testing, showing commitment to evidence-based planning and interventions. The development of new learning materials for early grade literacy and numeracy began in 2017. System transformation will ensure that new, evidence-based resources and methods can be implemented nationwide through teachers who are skilled, equipped with teaching and learning materials as well as supported by mentors, and who use digital resources effectively.”

H.E. Lim Sothea

How have GPE processes helped Cambodia build the foundation for sustainable change?

“Cambodia has a long-standing partnership with GPE, going back to the Fast Track Initiative from 2008 to 2012, which improved access to education, including through scholarships, and continuing through the Second Education Sector Support Program from 2014 to 2017, which substantially increased access and infrastructure for early childhood education.
With education access to primary education close to universal, the third GPE grant from 2018 continued the shift to improving the quality of early grade education, further supported by the GPE Accelerated Funding support during the COVID-19 pandemic, which focused on continuous learning and mitigating the impact of school closures and other restrictions. Cambodia made great progress in digital learning during the pandemic.
The GPE programs have consistently built on previous programming, ensuring sustainability of the work that is done. The Partnership Compact development process under the GPE 2025 operating model enabled the education ministry and partners to review priorities and evidence on the effectiveness of existing interventions, and to harmonize and coordinate support to the sector, including by focusing funding and support on key issues, including early grade learning and teacher system reform. GPE’s funding is concentrated on key priority areas, supported by partners and coordinated by the education ministry.”

H.E. Lim Sothea

Chhay Kim Hak leads a class for grade one students at Chambak Haer Primary School, Puok District in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Credit: GPE/Roun Ry — Chhay Kim Hak leads a class for grade one students at Chambak Haer Primary School, Puok District in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Credit:
GPE/Roun Ry

What is different this time from what you were previously doing?

“Cambodia’s long-term progress creates a context in which new programming is a progression from existing programming and rests on a strong evidence base of policy, planning and monitored interventions. With each planning cycle, Cambodia reflects on what is working and what should be taken forward. The Education Strategic Plan aligns with national priorities and accounts for global issues and sustainable development goals.
The differences in the new planning cycle relate to effectively scaling up evidence-based programming. The education ministry will implement new training and funding models for teachers, schools and mentoring support – improving the funding focus on equity, efficiency and quality.
New programming, which builds on previous projects, ensures that continuous professional development for all educators is now systemized. Professional development and learning credits enable teachers to have greater recognition of their learning and increase their own control over their commitment to lifelong learning.
We are working towards a teaching workforce that is skilled, trained and confident to use effective teaching methods, ICT-literate and mutually supportive, with mentoring, continuous professional development and peer-support mechanisms fully integrated.”

H.E. Lim Sothea

What are your hopes for the children of Cambodia?

“Our hope for the children of Cambodia is foundational skills for all, to unlock the future for children and young people. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has overhauled the learning materials for literacy and numeracy in early grade learning and these are a response to detailed monitoring of learning outcomes taking place over more than a decade.
The ministry sees a future where all children can read and are functionally numerate, lifelong learning becomes a part of the national culture, and students are resilient and able to continue their education at all stages.”

H.E. Lim Sothea

This blog is part of a series on system transformation sharing voices and insights from partners and practitioners on what we are learning about education system transformation in different contexts and what it takes.

Focus areas: SDG 4, Sector planning

Regions and countries: East Asia and Pacific: Cambodia

What does system transformation mean in the context of Cambodia?

Why did Cambodia choose “improve student learning outcomes” as the priority reform? And how can this priority unlock system transformation?

How have GPE processes helped Cambodia build the foundation for sustainable change?

What is different this time from what you were previously doing?

What are your hopes for the children of Cambodia?

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