Cambodia
Early Childhood Development 2020-2022
100 community preschools standardized for children's education
In Cambodia, only 25% of children aged 3 to 6 are enrolled in preschools. Public schools are rare in the countryside and the poorest municipalities do not have the means and skills to manage their communal schools.
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The context
To improve children's education in Cambodia, and particularly to fill the gap in public kindergartens in rural areas, the Cambodian government is promoting the alternative model of community kindergartens run by commune councils: they are easier to set up and less expensive.
However, not all communes have the means and skills to ensure the proper management of their schools, which penalizes the poorest.
Planète Enfants & Développement and Unicef were the first to develop, at the end of the 80s, this low-cost alternative model to public schools, managed at the community level. We have created 200 community kindergartens across the country.
In 2006, the Cambodian government recognized the model through the adoption of an official program for community schools and training for female teachers (98% of the teachers are women, poorly trained and poorly paid).
In 2008, the Decentralization and Deconcentration Law (D&D) delegated the implementation and management of preschool to the communes.
It has also created Commune Councils for Women and Children (CCWC) specialized in social affairs. A major turning point for the country and for our projects.
How is your donation used?
For every €100 raised by Planète Enfants & Développement, €84.4 goes to our social mission.
Our projects are evaluated by independent firms. And our accounts are audited and certified each year by KPMG.
child goes to preschools
%
of the poorest people live in the countryside where there is a lack of preschools
%
of community preschools operate below minimum legal standards
The project
This project follows 30 years of study and experience by Planète Enfants & Développement in the field of Early Childhood and improving children's education in Cambodia. His ambition was to reduce inequalities in access to education between rural and urban children, but also support fairly-paid employment for teachers and mothers.
To achieve this, Planète Enfants & Développement and its local partner Bandos Komar, in 100 villages in the provinces of Kampot, Kampong Speu, Sihanouk Ville and Pursat :
- supported and trained teachers, local councils and school management committees to improve their operations and meet the quality standards required by the government for certification,
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financed the construction of 57 new schools and the renovation of 43 nursery schools,
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provided gender awareness and advocacy sessions for the 100 women teachers involved in the project.
To obtain state standardization, the school must meet thirty-three criteria (among which is to offer a building dedicated to the schooling of children and conforming to an architectural plan of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (e.g., but also provide indoor and outdoor play areas, adapted furniture, toilets and access to drinking water).
This accreditation is a major issue for the quality of teaching and the longevity of the schools. It ensures, for example, a salary for teachers of $165/month, compared to the current $50 to $100.
With this project, 30 schools have been assessed and approved by the state, and the remaining 70 are ready for assessment. 2,300 children aged 3 to 6 will have the chance to get off to a good start at school, in good conditions.
Our partners in the field
Bandos KomaA : Cambodian association specialized in the development of early childhood and the improvement of the quality of primary education in Cambodia.