Brief Education System in Cambodia

Geographically, Cambodia, one of the 10 countries in ASEAN, shares the bordered with the Kingdom of Thailand at the west, with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the east, People’s Democratic Republic of Loa at the north and with Thai Gulf at the south. Its education system has been highly revered thousand years ago; at least from the 13th century as repeatedly stated a library still stands beside Angkot Wat, the most ancient temple on earth.

Students in Primary School

In pre-colony (before 1863), traditionally, education system offered immensely to men was mainly in theWats  (pagoda) and the Bhikkhu (monks) were the teachers. This practice was called “Buddhist or Traditional Education.” Under the French protectorate in 1863, the “Buddhist” education was slowly but surely influenced by a Western education system and only a few private schools were opened for the exclusive elites and higher education was available only in abroad until in the late 1940s, Cambodia had its first tertiary education, namely “The Faculty of Law.”

After independence from the French colonization (1863 – 1953), the Kingdom of Cambodia under the political power held by Prince Norodom Sihanouk as Prime Minister, the schooling opportunities were remarkably increased following French education model. During the Sihanouk’s regime (1953 – 1970), the numbers of student enrollment were enlarged in primary, secondary and high schools. Moreover, nine universities in capital and in some provinces were opened for all, as the result in the 1960s Cambodia was reported that it had the highest literacy rates and the most progressive education systems in Southeast Asia.

Cambodia was firstly declared as the Khmer Republic held by General Lon Nol who controlled the country from a coup d’état of Prince Norodom Sihanouk in 1970. In that time, education opportunities were shut off. From 1975 to 1979, known as the “Democratic Kampuchea” or “Khmer Rouge Regime” led by Pol Pot, the education system was in zero condition; many teachers, students, professionals and intellectuals were killed and schools were closed or even become kitchens.

With the support of Vietnam for the downfall of Khmer Rouge in 1979, “The People’s Republic of Kampuchea” (1979 – 1989) led by Heng Samrin, Cambodia’s education institutions were rebuilt, teachers were quickly selected, trained and sent to schools and schools reopened for getting school-aged pupils despite the poor condition of schools, and in that time, the education quality was not the first priority. From 1989 to 1993, the “Sate of Cambodia” led by Cambodian People’s Party (Vietnamese backed), most schools were open and enrolment reached high. In the second time known as “The Kingdom of Cambodia” since 1993 until present, the Royal Government of Cambodia has tried its efforts to reconstruct every fields not only in education and has gradually developed until now.

Periodically, education system in Cambodia shifted from 10 years of schooling (4+3+3) to 11 years (5+3+3) and lastly and presently in 1996 it was reformed to 12 years (6+3+3) as following the worldwide education system. In completion of this 12-year general education, Cambodia’s education structure consists of the following:

1. Preschool Education lasts three years and caters to children aged 4 – 5. It is not compulsory.
2. Primary Education is Compulsory for children aged 6 – 11. The primary education lasts six years and is the first stage of basic education.
3. General Secondary Education is divided into Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary School:

• Lower Secondary is for grade 7 – 9 and, in principle, compulsory for students aged 12 – 14 and,
• Upper Secondary is not compulsory and includes grade 10 – 12. And

4. Post-Secondary Education includes technical/vocational and higher educations. Vocational and Technical Education and training are conducted from 1 year to 3-5 years.

Chart of National Education System in Cambodia(Source: Website of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), Jakarta, Indonesia, 2013)

According to the report ofMoEYS dated on 29thSeptember, 2011 in Phnom Penh Municipality, Cambodia, in the academic year 2011-2012, three are 4, 254 kindergarten with 245, 955 children; 6, 796 primary schools with 2, 086, 693 students, 1, 181 secondary schools with 597, 396 students; 438 high schools with 344, 935 students and there are 95 higher education institutes (36 run by the state and 59 by the private sectors) with 247, 194 students (with this amount of students, 5, 824 students are granted full scholarship).

http://lyrathana.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/brief-education-system-in-cambodia/

Share this: