Education system out of its depth
When Sim Sok Toeur, 32, returned from study in Australia last April, he did so with a vision for Phnom Penh’s skyline. …
For Sok Toeur, a scholarship to study overseas granted him a better quality of education than was possible in Cambodia – even though the country has more than 100 universities, about 40 of which are public. …
More young people than ever are flocking to Cambodia’s universities upon leaving school. But students seeking better education elsewhere are reminders of the gulf that exists between the Kingdom’s institutes and those abroad.
By Prime Minister Hun Sen’s own admission, this gap relates to the quality and relevance of degrees taught here, and is resulting in the system not producing the type of graduates required to meet the Kingdom’s needs. …
A comparison of the countries made in 2010 showed Cambodia spent the equivalent of 2.6 per cent of its GDP on education, below Laos (2.8 per cent), Thailand (3.8 per cent) and Vietnam (6.3 per cent). Most Western countries fall between 5.5 and 6.4 per cent. …
Maria Wirth
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/education-system-out-its-depth
