There are significant inequities in the representation of females in the education system. There is a significant drop in the proportion of enrolled girls in the later grades of the primary school system. As shown in table 1.1 below, the national share of girls as a proportion of total enrolment falls from 47 per cent in grade 1 to 45.1 per cent in grade 6. These nationally aggregated figures, however, mask significant regional variations. For example, in Oddar Meanchey Province, the proportion of female enrolment in grade 1 falls from 46.5 per cent to 36.8 per cent by grade 6. Furthermore, girls represent only about one-third of total enrolment in secondary schools. Indeed, gender parity levels for enrolment at lower secondary level are only 0.63 and drop to only 0.30 by tertiary level.

Table 1.1: Primary Enrolment Breakdown by sex, 2001- 02
Enrolment by Grade	Percentage Boys	Percentage Girls
Grade 1	53.0	47.0
Grade 2	53.4	46.6
Grade 3	53.6	46.4
Grade 4	53.6	46.4
Grade 5	53.8	46.2
Grade 6	54.9	45.1
Total Enrolment	53.5	46.5
Source: MoEYS-EMIS, 2002

These outcomes are a combination of a number of social, cultural and economic factors. First, although girls enroll at roughly the same age as boys, earlier dropout occurs with the onset of puberty and as family responsibilities begin to predominate. Of great importance in this regard are the opportunity costs associated with these increasing responsibilities. Second, it is reported that parents are often less willing to invest in educating females, which is a critical factor when parental contributions are a large share of education spending, particularly at secondary level.

A number of policy/strategy interventions for assuring equitable access to schooling are currently being considered and should reach implementation stage by late 2003.Similar gender disparities are evident in the education service. Male teachers represent 63 per cent and 73 per cent of the primary and secondary teaching force. In the managerial and administrative cadres, men represent 73 per cent of the total. In the provincial and district education offices, males represent around 80 per cent of total staffing. In many instances, the females are concentrated in lower level secretarial and support staff duties. The main factor to consider in this regard is the low proportion of women with the required academic and professional qualifications for high level and teaching positions, who could provide powerful role models to young girls in rural and remote areas.

Although male outnumber female ones at all levels, it should be noted, however, that gender parity indices among female teachers in urban areas exceed 1.0. The high concentration of female teachers in urban areas largely reflects cultural norms that women are more vulnerable in remote areas. These cultural norms will present a significant challenge to redeployment policies as they come on line. In any case, however, the long-term strategy should be to gradually assure equitable access to secondary and post-secondary education, possibly linked to short-term affirmative action in promoting qualified female education personnel.