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Initial Progress Towards EFA 2000/02
This EFA Plan is one further milestone in Cambodia's progress towards education for all. The process in preparing this plan was a further opportunity to reflect on the EFA 2000 assessment and re-examine EFA strategies in the context of related significant international and national developments and updated information. The planning process also allowed Government to consider the implications of various projections and scenarios for policy, systemic reforms, infrastructure, resources and partnerships.
The mid-decade review of EFA progress (1995) and Cambodia's Education for All 2000 Assessment Country Report addressed the achievements, status and challenges related to the six Jomtien Goals, within the historical and evolving context of Cambodia. The EFA 2000 Assessment Report also included disaggregated data sets assembled by the MoEYS largely from the Educational Management Information System (EMIS). The main findings of the EFA 2000 Assessment Report are summarised in the box below:
Summary of Findings: EFA 2000 Assessment Report
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» Progress towards the EFA goals is slow, especially since Early Childhood Care and Development activities generally are limited to formal pre-schooling. Programs for children aged 0-3 years are undefined and scanty.
» Remote areas are generally disadvantaged in the provision of education. Education indicators are all low. Pupils learning achievement is low, especially in the remote areas with more girls dropping out of school than boys do.
» Literacy and non-formal education do not receive enough attention with mass media education program for better living. In addition, existing programs are highly limited in both content and reach.
» Technical and vocational education is limited to urban areas. Available training does not attract the youth and the fit between the skills taught and market needs is poor.
» Quality of basic education generally is low and access limited. Those in the far-flung remote and mountainous areas, the poor and ethnic minorities are still largely excluded from all forms of educational opportunities and experiences.provided in Annex 1. The overall straA planning needs to be located withini
Within this broad sector reform perspective the key features of progress in Cambodia over the past three years are summarised as follows :
Assuring Equitable Access to Quality Basic Education
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» Increased enrolment in primary schools from 2.1 million to 2.7 million over 1998/2001, including a rising share of rural girls, the disabled and minority groups
» Construction and furnishing of several thousand primary school classrooms, especially in under-served areas
» Improvement in the quality and performance of teachers through the in-service training of around 60,000 primary and secondary school teachers and the increased enrolment of teacher training provision from around 6,000 - 10,000 teachers per annum between 1998 and 2001
» Dramatic increases in the availability of primary and lower secondary school textbooks since 1997, reaching a target of one book per student in each subject
» Significant increases in the availability of adult literacy and non-formal education programs, especially for disadvantaged rural groups, through a strong NGO/MoEYS partnership
Pro-Poor Education Financing Policy
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» Abolition of start of year parental contributions for grades 1 - 6 in 2001, which contributed to an increased primary school enrolment from 2.35 million to 2.68 million in the last 12 months
» Abolition of start of year contributions for grades 7 - 9, contributing to a rise in lower secondary enrolment from 0.39 million to 0.46 million, representing a 20 per cent increase
» Introduction of school operating budgets from Government funds for primary and lower secondary schools amounting to around Riels 35 billion in 2002, designed to offset parental contributions and enable spending on key education supplies
» Mobilisation of funds for nationwide school facilities rehabilitation program in flooded and under-served areas, amounting to over Riels 160 billion (Riels 30 - 35 billion per year) over 2000/5
Enabling Growing Lower Secondary Education Opportunities
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» Selective expansion of lower secondary school opportunities, especially in under-served rural areas, with a target of around 842,000 students in grades 7 - 9 by 2005/6
» Significant improvements in the availability of high quality lower secondary school textbooks, reaching a target of one book per student in each subject in grades 7 - 9
» Development of a new life skills curriculum in lower secondary schools, covering Civics, Environment, HIV/AIDS and other social concerns for introduction in 2002/3
» Strengthening of student performance monitoring and examination systems in grade 9, including improved security, data management and computerisation of results and records over 1999/2001
» Strengthening Capacity Building for the Decentralisation of Education Services
» Decentralisation of primary and secondary school operational budgets to 183 district budget management centers, accompanied by extensive technical and financial management for over 1,000 MOEYS staff over 2000/1
» Further decentralisation of the management of teacher training institutions to around 60 budget management centers in 2001/2, which will involve the management training of around 300 MOEYS managers
» A nationwide program of management training for around 6,000 primary and secondary school directors over the period 2000/2
» Extensive computerisation of education planning and management information systems for headquarters and provincial education authorities, involving the provision of new equipment and on-the-job training of around 50 offices and staff over 1998/2001
» Extensive capacity building for quality assurance and accreditation of basic education programs through development of minimum standards for schools, new skills, and testing systems in basic education over 1998/2002.
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