Cambodian Schools



Figure 1.--This is a view of a Cambodian school in 2007.

Cambodian edication has very greatly in modern times, depending om the political regime in power. Camodian education was traditionally a function of the wats (Buddhist temples). There was no tradition of secular education. This meant that education was centered on religion and restricted to a relatively small part of the population. Only boys were educated in the wats. Cambodia was nearly devestated by invading Thai and Vietnamese armies. King Noradom requested French intervention (1854) which ended the wars with Thailand and Vietnam and ushered in a period of French colonial control. The French oversaw major improvements in the country's infrasructure, but gave little attention to other areas such as education. This was in part a decesion not to disrupt traditional Kymer society. The French did not address the need for a modern education system until the 20th century. French colonial officials enacted the Law on Education (1917). This introduced a basic primary and secondary education system modelled somewhat on the French system. It was not, however, a mass education syste, It was an elitist designed to educate a very small part of the population, basically to meet the needs of the French colonial system and not the Kymer people. The creation of a mass education system did not come until independence (1955). The developing Cambodian educational system experienced a huge set back by the Cambodian Civil War and the victory of the Kymer Rouge. They essentially abolished education. The Kymer Rouge sought out and killed teachers. Since the overthrow of the Kymer Rouge, great progress has been made in revuilding a national education system.

Traditional Education

Camodian education was traditionally a function of the wats (Buddhist temples). There was no tradition of secular education. This meant that education was centered on religion and restricted to a relatively small part of the population. Only boys were educated in the wats.

French Colonial Era (1854-1955)

Cambodia was nearly devestated by invading Thai and Vietnamese armies. King Noradom requested French intervention (1854) which ended the wars with Thailand and Vietnam and ushered in a period of French colonial control. The French oversaw major improvements in the country's infrasructure, but gave little attention to other areas such as education. This was in part a decesion not to disrupt traditional Kymer society. The French did not address the need for a modern education system until the 20th century. French colonial officials enacted the Law on Education (1917). This introduced a basic primary and secondary education system modelled somewhat on the French system. It was not, however, a mass education syste, It was an elitist designed to educate a very small part of the population, basically to meet the needs of the French colonial system and not the Kymer people.

Independence (1955-75)

The Vietnamese defeated the French Army at Dien bin Phu (1953). France as a result withdrew from Indochina and granted independence to Cambodia. The creation of a mass education system did not come until independence (1955). The independent royal government created a universal education system, although resources were very limited. The government also set up a network of vocational colleges such as the School of Health (1953), the Royal School of Administration (1956), the College of Education (1959), the National School of Commerce (1958) and the National Institute of Judicial, Political and Economic Studies (1961). The Buddhist University was to provide education for monks (1954). Cambodia had no secular institution of higher education. A university was finally established the Khmer Royal University. Th name was changed to the Royal University (1965). At the same time, six more tertiary training institutions were created: the Royal Technical University, the Royal University of Fine Arts, the Royal University of Kompong Cham, the Royal University of Takeo, the Royal University of Agronomic Sciences and the Popular University. The Royal University of Battambang followed (1968).

Kymer Rouge (1975-79)

The developing Cambodian education system was dealt a huge set back by the Cambodian Civil War and the victory of the Kymer Rouge. They abolished education. This was a substantial departure for Communists Governments. Generally Communists place great importance on education as part of their view that Communism is a scientific approach to social development. In most countries the Communists seek to use the schools to indoctrinate children as well as to educate. The Kymer Rouge as a matter of policy destroyed all teaching materials, textbooks, and publishing houses. Note that they did not take over the school system, but closed it diwn. Schools and universities were closed. The actual buildings were abandoned or put to other uses. The Kymer Rouge sought out and killed teachers. Cambodian teachers fled the country in large numbers. Those who remained in Cambodia once they realized what the Kymer Rouge were doing attempted to hide the fact that they were teachers. The Kymer Rouge killed the teachers that they identified.

Modern Cambodia (1979- )

Since the overthrow of the Kymer Rouge, great progress has been made in revuilding a national education system. The new Cambodian government reconfirmed its commitment to universal education. It faced a daunting task. It had to completely reconstruct the country's entire education system. Virtually all the teachers had fled the country or had neen murdered by the Kymer Rouge. The governent moved to restablish pre-school, primary, and secondary schools. Subsequently the government began working on non-formal education for adults and a network of tertiary colleges and universities. The Cambodian Constitution guarantees the right to free basic education. School is now compulsory for 9 years. The modern Cambodian education system is heavily decentralised. Three levels of government (central, provincial and district) are involved. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is the responsible national agency. They establish national policies and guidelines. The country's educators face huge difficultids. One of the greatest continues to be a shortage of qualified teachers. For many years this was because of the teachers killed by the Kymer Rouge. Now it is more a financial matter. Teacher salaries are very low. And budget constraints mean a severe shortage of teaching materials. Many rural parents continue to keep their children a home to hdlp out with hiusehold duties or to work in the field. This is an expecially serious problem with girls who many parents believe are not important to educate. As a result, literacy rates while much improved are still low: men (75 percent) and women (45 percent) (2005). >






Additional Information

Careful, clicking on these will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but several are highly recommended

  • British Preparatory Schools: A photographic book depicting life at British preparatory schools during the 1980s. Most of the schools are English or Scottish, but schools in Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ulster are also included. The pictures show the uniforms worn at many different schools.
  • New Zeeland Schools: A photographic E-book depicting life at New Zeeland schools
  • British Preparatoru Schools: New Apertures E-book on British preparatory schools available






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    Created: 7:13 AM 1/16/2008
    Last updated: 5:28 PM 9/14/2009