Education and Child Protection

EDUCATION

USAID supports Cambodia’s efforts to improve education. With a 97 percent primary net enrollment rate, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) is very close to achieving universal access to primary education. Cambodia has strengthened female enrollment and achieved gender parity in primary education. USAID’s education programs improve student learning outcomes, equip youth with a range of versatile skills, and strengthen university curriculum and partnerships with the private sector in order to prepare graduates for Cambodia’s burgeoning digital economy.

RESULTS

Over the past five years, USAID has: 

• Helped build the Cambodian Accreditation Systems and Quality Standards to guide quality assessment and improvement efforts in public and private sectors nationwide. 

• Developed and distributed (directly and indirectly) over one million hard and soft copies of reading materials, including teacher guides, student supplemental books, and story books for upper-preschool, and grades 1 and 2 students.

• Trained over 10,000 teachers in 3,500 primary schools, reaching more than 400,000 students.

• Supported eight higher education institutions (HEIs) to review existing and develop new ICT-related and soft skills courses and build capacity for 80 staff, as well as established five Career Centers in HEIs across the country, a new model for Cambodia.

• Broadened opportunities for Cambodian youth, such as providing undergraduate scholarships to 74 students (46 female), including two students with disabilities, and four students from indigenous/minority groups, and training 409 youth (264 women) through practical skills building, soft-skill development, social support, and linkages to job opportunities.

• Promoted gender-equity leadership training at national and subnational levels of the education system, including robust professional development for more than 150 women leaders.

CHILD PROTECTION

USAID supports Cambodia’s efforts to improve child development and strengthen child protection services by addressing violence against children and transitioning away from a reliance on residential care institutions. With a national goal to reintegrate 75 percent all children living in residential care into safe, nurturing family-based care by 2027, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MOSVY) works to ensure that systems are in place to protect children, prevent child and family separation, and provide ongoing support to at-risk children.

RESULTS

Over the past five years USAID has:

• Strengthened family care for over 23,000 children (47 percent girls). Over 1,600 (nearly half of whom are female) children were returned to family care from residential institutions and at least 4.9 million people were reached through the USAID-supported Strong Family Campaign.

• Provided direct support to over 70 residential care institutions (RCI) about the importance of transitioning to family-based care. As a result, 24 RCIs have already refocused their activities to provide holistic services to families and communities.

• Assisted the government to endorse and roll out the Child Protection Information Management System, a digital inspection system, and a separate digital case management system.

LEARN MORE

More about USAID/Cambodia’s work in Education and Child Protection: USAID/Cambodia - Public Health, Education and Child Protection Factsheet