Tag Archives: Cambodia

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, Cambodia has a long and complex history of education. Prior to the 20th century, education was largely based on traditional Buddhist teachings. This included instruction in the Pali language, which was used to teach religious texts, as well as other topics such as mathematics and literature. Education was largely limited to those of high social status, with only a few members of the lower classes receiving any formal education at all. In the early 20th century, Cambodia began introducing more modern forms of education. In 1925, the French introduced a formal school system with curricula based on French educational models. This system provided instruction in both Khmer and French languages and included subjects such as math, science, history, geography and literature. In addition to this formal school system, some private schools also began offering instruction in English and Chinese languages. During this period, access to education remained largely limited to those with higher social status or wealth; however some government-sponsored scholarships were available for students from lower income families who demonstrated academic potential. Nevertheless, most Cambodians were unable to attend school due to poverty or lack of access. In 1953 Cambodia gained independence from France and soon after began making changes to its educational system. The government introduced reforms that aimed to make schooling more accessible for all citizens regardless of their economic background or social status; this included free primary schooling for all children aged 6-14 years old as well as free secondary schooling for those aged 14-17 years old. The 1970s saw further reforms aimed at improving educational quality and access across the country; however these efforts were interrupted by civil war and political turmoil in the late 1970s which led to a decline in educational standards across the nation. Since then Cambodia has made considerable progress in reforming its educational system; with increasing investment in infrastructure and improved teacher training programs leading to better quality teaching standards countrywide. Although there are still some discrepancies between urban and rural areas regarding access and quality of education – particularly when it comes to higher levels – overall there has been significant improvement since independence over 70 years ago. In 2009, the Cambodian government was led by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). The CPP had been in power since 1985, having won a series of elections since then. In 2008, the CPP won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections with 90 out of 123 seats. This victory cemented the CPP’s hold on power and enabled them to pass constitutional amendments that further strengthened their position. The opposition party, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), held 26 seats in parliament after the 2008 election and provided some opposition to the CPP’s policies. However, due to a lack of resources and political influence, it was unable to significantly challenge the CPP’s control. In 2009, Cambodia faced a number of domestic issues such as poor infrastructure, corruption and land disputes between villagers and developers. The government had limited success in addressing these problems due to its focus on maintaining stability rather than implementing lasting reforms. Cambodia’s foreign policy in 2009 was largely focused on maintaining good relations with its neighbours and developing countries. The country sought to improve ties with China, Vietnam and Thailand while also strengthening its relations with other countries like India and Japan. The Cambodian government also sought to increase its international presence by joining various multilateral organisations such as ASEAN, WTO and UNCTAD. These moves were designed to bolster Cambodia’s economic development through increased trade opportunities as well as access to foreign aid from international institutions like the World Bank or IMF. Cambodia also sought better diplomatic ties with western countries such as the United States; however this was met with resistance due to Cambodia’s human rights record which had been criticised by many western governments for years. Despite this resistance, Cambodia managed to improve its diplomatic ties with some western countries like Canada who opened an embassy in Phnom Penh in 2008 which marked a significant improvement in bilateral relations between both nations. Check internetsailors for Cambodia in 2011.