Historical Background on

Cambodia Education

Group 1
Choeun Leaksmy
Leng Phichchhear
Sophal Sochenda

Leap Sreypech
Seng Kakda

Outline
1. The cultural/ political context (By Kakda)
2. Indigenous education (By Phichchhear)
3. Westernization after W.W II (By Chenda)
4. Education in the 1970s (By Sreypech)
5. Education in Present (By Leaksmy)

The Cultural/Political Context

The Cultural/Political Context

Khmer people have been conscious of the reality
of their past.
Funan was founded in the first century.
Angkor Empire was founded in the ninth and
thirteenth centuries
Since fourteenth century, Khmer have maintained
a strong adherence to Theravada Buddhist.

Theravada Buddhism
Theravada means the teaching of the elders.
Theravada Buddhism and a dharma-adhering
monarch have been the twin pillars of traditional
culture and society since fourteenth century.

Theravada Buddhism
What is Theravada Buddhism?
The school of Buddhism that draws its
scriptural inspiration from the Tipitaka, or Pali
canon.

Neak Ta
A folk religion of spirit and ancestor worship.
the most omnipresent figure of the divinities which
populate the supernatural world of the Cambodian
countryside

Neak Ta
Belief in the supernatural traditions.
the Neak Ta is not just a kind of simple spirit but rather a
phenomenon or energy force relating to a specific group such as a
village community.

Indigenous Education

Wat
Since the late 13th century, Theravada
Buddhism
Until the 1950s, Wat or templemonasteries
Served as the main source of learning
Transmitter of culture

Location and function

In the center of village and town
Served both moral religious and social,
cultural, health and education function
Led to the creation of school.

Wat used as School

Primary education: provided for all boys by
monk teachers in WAT school.
Secondary education: offered in larger
WATS attached to the a few palaces in the
provincial capitals and the royal palace in
the capital.

Subject
Based on the 18th and 19th century
accounts, the subjects taught:
Reading and writing Khmer
Principles of Buddhism
Rules of propriety
Some arithmetic and
Various manual arts

 During the period of French colonial rule

(1863-1953), French
introduced the SECULAR SCHOOL
Tried to replace the TEMPLE SCHOOL
SYSTEM
In the 1920s, modernization the temple school
with curricula and teaching methods used in
the Franco-Khmer state schools

 Indigenous Khmer Learning was rooted

in an oral culture on the palm leaf, then
printed text.
It consisted of
didactic percepts
Poems
Fables
Epics and
Legend

 Knowledge was valued for moral reasons a

Education was to develop the moral character
and transmit the cultural heritage

Non-formal aspects of the village-based

education served both as entertainment
and a ritual socialization function.

Westernization after W.W II

Westernization after World War II

After independence in 1953 NORODOM
SHIANOUK ...

French-based education system

The institution of education , like Buddist sangha
In the Traditional system , Wat was called
School.

Westernization after World War II

-By 1963 , only 10% were primary school of
temple based
-By 1967 , from grade 1 to 6 were taught in
Language

Westernization after World War II

__ After World war 2 , the secondary school
enrolments were increasing :
* 25% from 872 students
* In 1947 over 13,000 to 125,000 in 1975
__ Higher education , structured & taught in
French was begun in the 1960s

Westernization after World War II

In 1962 , the first university called The Royal
Khmer University .
In 1968 , there were 14,560 students
reported enrolled including vocational ,
institutions of higher learning .

Education in the 1970s

Education in the 1970s

The convulsions of the 1970s
In 1970-75 : Cambodia was under the control
of Lon Nol.
In 1969-70 : The changes of the government
education.

Education in the 1970s

Lon Nol military defeat in the fall of 1971, the
countryside came under the control of the
Khmer Rouge.

Education in the 1970s

Khmer Rouge Regime (1975-1979)
Educational system functioned only in some of
the more prosperous and well-run districts.
EX: In the district village of Leach
Children were given one hour of instruction
The bulk of the instruction consisted in learning
revolutionary 39 songs and dances.

Education in the 1970s

Revolutionary songs:

Praised the sacrifices of the revolutionary fighter

Exalted the national cause
Exhorted ideological vigilance
Incited the people to class vengeance.

Education in the 1970s

The social effects of the civil war
Most educated Khmer fell victim or fled the
country to rebuild their lives in the west.
Many Khmer peoples remain demoralized,
apathetic, or distrustful

Cambodian Education in Present

Education for All (EFA)

To universalize 9 years of basic education and
developing opportunities for functional literacy
To modernize and improve the quality of
education through effective reform
To link education/training with labor market and
society
To rehabilitate and develop youth and sport
sub-sector.

Current challenges
Resources
Gender disparity
Tertiary Education

Resources
Cambodia allocated around 12.4% of its annual
budget into education to improve its quality.
insufficient staff in schools, poor and few
educational facilities, lack of teaching material.

Gender disparity
The number of girls who drop out from
secondary education is much higher than
the number of boys.

Tertiary Education
What is Tertiary Education?
- Tertiary education is the educational level
following the completion of a school providing
a secondary education, such as a high school,
secondary school, university-preparatory
school.

Tertiary Education
Cambodia's higher education institution
lacks world recognition and is currently not
acknowledged.

References
Retrieved on 7th October 2011:
http://www.moeys.gov.kh/education_system.php
http://www.savong.com/SAVONGSCHOOL/EducationFactsan
dFiguresCambodia/tabid/114/Default.aspx
http
://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Cambodia#cite_note
-2
http://www.adb.org/Documents/CPSs/CAM/2011-2013/cps
-cam-2011-2013-ga.pdf
http://www.cambodialostandfound.com/cambodia-educatio
n.php

Thank you for your attention

Feel free to ask questions