The target group of primary education in Cambodia is from 3 to 6 years old. However, some program also target children from 0 to 3 years old through home-based primary education program. In total, the target group of this program are 41,753 families, 8,146 group mothers, 1499 core mothers and 66,129 children, 33,242 of whom were females.
Evaluation of the Multilingual Education National Action Plan in Cambodia
The Royal Government of Cambodia launched the 2014-2018 Multilingual Education National Action Plan (MENAP) in 2015. With this, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, in collaboration with UNICEF Cambodia and Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), and in consultation with other stakeholders in Cambodia were responsible for implementing the plan. The goal is to increase access to meaningful education of indigenous girls and boys. To achieve this, the plan aims to provide children with multilingual education in preschool and in the first three years of primary school.
Moreover, a multilingual education curriculum is available in five Indigenous languages (Bunong, Kavet, Kreung, Tampuan, and Brao). The multilingual curriculum is also available in preschools and primary schools in Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Kratie, and Stung Treng. These provinces contain high numbers of indigenous children. One district in Preah Vihear also offered the multilingual curriculum. The initiative uses a bridging model whereby children begin learning in their indigenous language. Thus, they can slowly transition to Khmer, the national language of instruction, and the national curriculum in Grade 4.
For more information, Download here
Action guide to promote gender-responsiveness in Cambodia primary and lower secondary schools
Booklet 1 & 2
In recent years, Cambodia has successfully narrowed the gender gap in primary school enrolment. In the school year 2018-2019, the enrolment for girls was 49% compared to 51% for boys. Yet, once in school many children drop out of school. In particular, learners from poor households leave school prematurely in search of a job to support their family. The transition rate to secondary level also remains a serious challenge, especially for girls.
For many adolescent girls, schools become unsafe. Parents and girls fear harassment at school or on the way to school. Others cannot afford menstrual products, or the school they attend lacks decent female restroom facilities. Cultural gender norms continue to stall girls’ secondary education too. Many families prioritize their sons over daughters in education in the belief that their daughters will become housewives after marriage, notwithstanding their studies, with responsibility for their children, the housework and cooking. Clearly, there is a need to transform gender attitudes and relations.
Education is a powerful means to transform persisting norms and expectations by cultivating the intellect, spirit, and skills for children to advance gender equality and contribute to sustainable development. Thus, this action guide paves way for creating the required gender-responsive learning environment, bringing together insights, strategies and tools for TEC management staff, teacher trainers, school leaders, school management committee members and teachers alike.
For more information on Booklet 1, download here
For more information on Booklet 2, download here