Cambodia: Progress and Challenges since 1991

20. Progress and Challenges of Education in Cambodia Today

292 Pou Sovachana 292 20 PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES OF EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA TODAY Pou Sovachana Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. — John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States Nations will march towards their greatness in the direction given by its education. Nations will soar if its education soars; will regress if it regresses. Nations will fall and sink in darkness if education is corrupted or completely abandoned. — Simón Bolívar (1783–1830, a Bolivian Liberator) Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. — Dalai Lama If Cambodia is to achieve the lofty goals quoted in the statements above, it is imperative that the country establishes a high-quality and sustainable education system with equal access to learning for all citizens. Choosing and implementing the proper strategy of the developmental path to produce graduates1 with the virtue, knowledge, skills and qualifications needed in today’s market and technology-driven environment will be the key to this noble endeavour. 20 Cambodia_Progress 3/6/12, 10:39 AM 292 Progress and Challenges of Education in Cambodia Today 293 INTRODUCTION The education sector in Cambodia has come a long way and achieved a number of impressive accomplishments, following years of civil conflicts, internal strife, political instability and backwardness. It is noteworthy that the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) together with international partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has done a remarkable job in rehabilitating a dysfunctional education system and rebuilding a shattered economy. The transformation of the basic education system, which includes solid growth in the number of schools and universities, and great strides towards universal primary education and gender parity, should be commended. The need to develop human capital has been crucial to the Royal Government’s strategy to promote new and sustainable sources of economic growth as well as improved living standards. Still, more fundamental challenges remain. These include ensuring equitable access to education, and improving the quality of education and efficiency at all levels. Moreover, the recent global economic slowdown since 2008 has prevented many disadvantaged children from starting school and more to drop out of the system before completing primary education. Failure to reach the marginalized has denied many people, especially in the rural and remote areas, their right to education.2 There is an immediate need to better educate more people in order to promote more efficient and superior cadres to build up a stronger nation with economic self-sustainability. An education that supports the development of morality and critical thinking skills will be increasingly important for all Cambodian students to restore the identity of the Khmer people from one of victimhood to one of capacity, pride and honour, and also to enable us to compete regionally and globally. This paper begins by identifying the near eradication of education in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge epoch and will highlight the progress up to the present day. Figure 20.1 comprises a chronological chart showing the influence of the political events on the education sector. The paper will then examine the challenges of the educational reforms in which both the beneficial and the adverse effects will be presented. As this paper will show, the national strategy to promote sustainable sources of economic growth as well as to improve living standards is based on developing human resources and building human capacity, thus improving the overall quality of education.3 Additional transformations in the educational sector are necessary for Cambodia to tackle the challenges of the 21st century, including those of globalization and the achievement the Millennium Development Goals. (See Figure 20.1) 20 Cambodia_Progress 3/6/12, 10:39 AM 293 294 Pou Sovachana FIGURE 20.1 Chronological Map of Key Governance and Sector Events Source: Study on Governance Challenges for Education in Fragile Situations by European Union, Synthesis Report, December 2009, Euro Trends. 20 Cambodia_Progress 3/6/12, 10:39 AM 294 Progress and Challenges of Education in Cambodia Today 295 THE NEAR ERADICATION OF EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA For nearly four years (17 April 1975 – 7 January 1979), the Khmer Rouge completely isolated Cambodia from the world, decimated the education system, and created severe disruption. With the goals of creating a utopian agrarian socialist state, the regime obliterated everything that promoted capitalism and class oppression. The Khmer Rouge leaders eliminated currency, abolished...