Conference in Osaka, Japan by ACE

Reforming Cambodian Educational System 

Cambodia’s future presents a bleak scenario.  It is currently among the poorest nations on the globe.  Ravaged by war, genocide and corruption, its civic infrastructure is in shambles.  Compounding the problem, 50% of Cambodian society is under the age of twenty.  Youth, which should be an asset, is not because adequate societal role models are few, the system of education is flawed, and thousands of children are not attending school.  Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are finding the problem intractable. 

Children do not attend school because they either have no family or their families exploit them for economic reasons.  In cities, the children become street hustlers, engaging in prostitution and other vices.  In rural areas, the children must work in menial subsistence farming. 

The educational system is geared more toward developing tradesmen than it is to creating an intellectual, professional or entrepreneurial class.  Young people do not appreciate the value of such an education when compared to the short-term benefit of what can be earned on the street or the farm. 

Our paper suggests a counter-intuitive solution:  Place greater emphasis on teaching art and music.  Studies have shown that such studies correlate with higher achievement in math and science and have a positive effect on truancy.  A developing society needs engineers and other professionals who have a solid background in math and science. 

Creating a new class of better educated citizens will be the first step toward Cambodia becoming a useful member of the world community.