Focusing on Education to Attain Long-Term Prosperity

Sunday, 19 October 2014

By William E. Todd, U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia

There is little debate about the importance of education.  It really is the engine of progress.  When people strive to acquire the learning and skills that will position them for personal success, the impacts are far-reaching.  An educated workforce spurs innovation and investment in business and industry, driving economic growth and expansion of the middle class.  In turn, a growing middle class leads to further economic, social, and political development.  With a large youth population eager to secure good employment and take part in a rapidly globalizing economy, the importance of education is all the more tangible here in Cambodia.  I feel very strongly that Cambodia’s energetic and ambitious youth, if they acquire the right education and skills, will be unstoppable in producing greater prosperity for years to come.  As President Barack Obama has said, “The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.  That is the source of power in this century.”

 

My column this week addresses a question from a reader in Kandal Province who asked me, “Do you think Cambodia is making real progress to improve our education system?  Can the United States help support education in Cambodia?”  This reader points to the concern many young Cambodians have about ensuring access to an effective education system.  They understand how important it is for their government to dedicate scarce resources to strengthen education and build Cambodia’s human capital.

During the time I’ve served in Cambodia, I’ve been impressed with the changes occurring in the education system.  Steady progress has been happening for the past two decades, but even in just the last few years I have seen significant improvements.  I believe a key impetus behind the most recent changes was the national discussion about reforms that grew out of the 2013 elections.  During that election season, it was evident that a lot of Cambodians were examining the issues and sharing their ideas and concerns about the direction of the country.  The quality of education was often at the center of these deliberations because it is so fundamental to progress.  Last year, in response to the concerns, the Royal Government named H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron to serve as the new Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport.  Since that time, it has been a privilege for me to meet with Dr. Chuon Naron on several occasions, and I’ve been very interested to see the progress his Ministry has been making.  

Many particulars of the Ministry’s eight-point reform strategy have been taking shape in recent months.  For example, salaries of teachers were increased and the payment system for teachers has been streamlined.  Although the increase in pay is small, it is an important first step.  And the new method of making direct payment to teachers’ bank accounts means that salaries can be paid on time, at regular intervals, and with greater safeguards against embezzlement.  These changes help support teachers so they can focus on the quality of their work and the progress to be made in the classroom.

Certainly the most visible reform has been the changes made to the secondary school examination process.  This was no half-hearted reform.  With the Ministry carefully guarding the exam contents, vigorous enforcement of rules in the exam rooms, and collaboration from the Anti-Corruption Unit to address cheating, the exam this year has been much more effective in measuring the achievements of students.  Although the exam reforms entail some period of adjustment on the part of students and schools, the potential pay-offs are enormous.  Students will have confidence in the fairness of the exam, thereby encouraging them to focus on learning, while the schools will be able to properly pinpoint where educational gaps need to be filled.  The end result of all these reforms will be to raise the quality of education and effectively prepare Cambodians for successful participation in the workforce.

Following through and expanding on the success of initial education reforms will be critical for Cambodia’s long-term development.  That prescription is demonstrated by the economic strength of countries that have prioritized education – countries like the United States, South Korea, Germany, and Singapore.  The promise of such long-term development makes it gratifying for me to see that efforts being made by the U.S. government are contributing to the ongoing improvements in Cambodia’s education system.  Projects funded through the U.S. Embassy are having an impact in Cambodia’s primary and secondary schools, while our exchange programs and other support for higher education are helping build up the capacity of Cambodia’s universities. 

To support the critical work of Cambodia’s primary and secondary schools, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently completed its “IBEC” program.  As the name suggests – IBEC stands for “Improving Basic Education in Cambodia” – this five-year program targeted ways of supporting teachers and increasing opportunities for young Cambodians to get the education they need.  The program provided student scholarships to the very poor.  For schools in greatest need, it provided school improvement grants.  It provided training for teachers, school managers, and other stakeholders.  And it developed and tested life skills curricula which have now been adopted in schools across Cambodia.  In all of these ways, the IBEC program has helped more than 136,000 primary and secondary students in three provinces to receive better quality and access to basic education.

I’ve also been glad to see the impact of the U.S. Embassy’s efforts to support Cambodia’s university students and faculty.  As a global leader in higher education, I believe the United States has much to offer Cambodia through the sharing of experience and expertise.  Each year, the U.S. Embassy sponsors a number of American academics who travel to Cambodia to teach, give seminars, support curriculum development, conduct research, and form lasting partnerships with Cambodian colleagues and institutions.  Among the U.S. academics we are supporting this year are experts in the fields of agriculture, engineering, media communications, and English education.  Meanwhile, we organize multiple programs each year to send Cambodian high school and university students to attend U.S. universities and engage with their peers from all over the world.  Their experiences produce fresh insights and serve to invigorate their studies and career development upon returning to Cambodia.

The IBEC and exchange programs exemplify the broader efforts of the U.S. Embassy to support education in Cambodia.  From programs to reduce student drop-out rates, provide school meals, enhance school curricula, and support vocational training, to school construction projects, speaker programs, and English language education, all of our efforts are focused on expanding opportunities for Cambodians to acquire important skills, learn from experts, and become critical thinkers and life-long learners.  In this way we hope to support the ongoing work of the Royal Government and the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport to strengthen education, equip today’s students for tomorrow’s job market, and promote prosperity for all Cambodians.