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Education
and Literacy
in Cambodia
The
adult population has a literacy rate of about 35%. Public education is
compulsory, as well as free, for the first 6 years and an increase has been seen
in attendance, with most eligible children attending by the
mid-90s.
Secondary education had a little over one fourth of the eligible
children enrolled, and it drops even more on the university level with barely 1
percent of the university-age population enrolled in an institution of higher
learning.
Some
of the problems in education occurred during the Khmer Rouge's rule, since
teachers were executed and schools were closed. Intellectuals, such as
teachers, were oppressed due to the fear that they would be in opposition to a
socialist society.
During
the 80s, teachers either found better paying jobs or fled the country and
Cambodia has not recovered since. A major problem in the educational
system is the lack of funds and a lack of trained personnel.
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