Catalyzing Educational Improvement: Cambodia's Digital Transformation in Post-COVID-19 Era

Tam Sakirin, Vice-Dean ICT, Faculty of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology and Ian Findlay, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Puthisastra, Cambodia

Genocide in the late 1970s obliterated infrastructure and killed almost 25 percent of Cambodia’s population, especially those who were educated, resulting in Cambodia facing enormous educational challenges. For example, it has the poorest results in mathematics, reading, and science in OECD nations.

However, over the past decade, Cambodia has made significant strides in its education sector, displaying a positive trajectory even before the onset of the pandemic. Initiatives led by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) include reforms to the Grade 12 National Examination, the introduction of the New Generation Schools project, and teacher upgrade programs. Collaborations with development partners such as the World Bank have facilitated initiatives to improve teacher qualifications, school leadership, and higher education quality. Despite these advancements, substantial challenges still persist, including the prevalence of private tutoring, inadequate resources and infrastructure, teacher shortages, skill shortages, high student dropout rates, old-fashioned teaching methods, and corruption within the education system. Addressing these challenges remains imperative for Cambodia's continued progress in ensuring quality education for all.

Fortunately, Cambodia has embraced technology as a catalyst for improving education as part of its accelerated development towards societal digital transformation and Industry 4.0. With one of the world's fastest digital adoption rates, Cambodia recognizes the importance of leveraging technology to enhance educational outcomes. Backed by strategic initiatives such as the Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework (2021–2035) and the Digital Government Policy (2022–2035), Cambodia aims to foster a digital economy and society while prioritizing digital governance and services.

Like many other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a major catalyst for the digital transformation of education in Cambodia, presenting a golden opportunity to increase the use of ICT to accelerate and deepen educational reforms. MoEYS has collaborated with various stakeholders, including development partners and the private sector, to offer students online learning opportunities. MoEYS established the Centre for Digital and Distance Learning and launched MoEYS E-Learning apps to support digital education. While online learning and blended learning were new concepts in Cambodia before the pandemic, educational institutions have largely embraced them, leading to increased interest and investment in technological tools.

"The digital transformation of education in Cambodia presents a crucial crossroads for the government, education institutions, and various stakeholders to enhance the quality and internationalization of Cambodian education"

However, substantial challenges remain, particularly for students in rural areas and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who face difficulties accessing online resources due to limited internet access, technological infrastructure and financial constraints. Despite these challenges, the digitalization of the education system is seen as essential for enhancing its quality and preparing Cambodian students for the demands of Industry 4.0, presenting significant opportunities for advancement.

Three key areas of benefit emerge from this transformation:

• Increased Opportunities for Blended Learning: Education institutions in Cambodia have embraced blended learning, integrating online education with traditional classroom methods. This shift, accelerated by the pandemic, has led to a greater familiarity with online learning platforms and infrastructure investment to support digital education. As a result, hybrid classes combining online and physical elements are now more common, offering enhanced flexibility and accessibility for students.

• Improved Adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT): The pandemic has propelled the adoption of ICT in educational institutions, with students and teachers becoming more proficient in using online learning tools and platforms. Whilst many challenges remain, such as internet access and technological infrastructure limitations, experiences gained during the pandemic have improved confidence and familiarity with technology, paving the way for continued integration of online and blended learning post-pandemic.

• Greater Opportunities for Institutional Collaboration: The pandemic has facilitated increased collaboration among education institutions, locally and internationally. Geographical barriers are being reduced via enhanced communication and collaboration through online platforms. This has resulted in a wide range of collaborative activities, including webinars, online workshops, and virtual conferences, fostering partnerships between Cambodian institutions, foreign institutions, and multinational organizations.

In summary, the digital transformation of education in Cambodia presents a crucial crossroads for the government, education institutions, and various stakeholders to enhance the quality and internationalization of Cambodian education.

To capitalize on this momentum, the Cambodian government must increase investment in digital education. Education institutions must also play an active role by investing in modern learning management systems (LMS) and prioritizing capacity building and training for staff to ensure effective online class delivery. Additionally, collaboration and partnership between non-governmental organizations, donor agencies, the public-private sector, and educational institutions are essential to elevate the quality of Cambodian education. Furthermore, academic staff and students must embrace skills needed for the 21^st century and our digital age; such skills are crucial in fostering an environment conducive to modern teaching, research, and continuous professional development to achieve Cambodia’s ambitions for economic success.

Digital Transformation

Industry 4.0

Financial

Learning Management