Teachers are fundamental to quality education and student development, providing the essential skills and knowledge needed to shape future generations. To guarantee high-quality education for all students, it is critical that teachers are well-qualified, motivated, and proficient. This requires an education system that values and supports the teaching profession by offering necessary resources, recognition, and opportunities for professional growth.
Since the 2022 Global Transforming Education Summit, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has committed to implementing Cambodia’s Education Roadmap 2030, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on quality education. The roadmap emphasizes the importance of a “high-quality teaching force” and “digital education” to transform Cambodia’s education system into one that is inclusive, resilient, and capable of achieving the nation’s goals of upper-middle-income status by 2030 and high-income status by 2050.
On August 7, 2024, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and UNESCO launched the second phase of the Strengthening Teacher Education Programs in Cambodia (STEPCam). Building on the first phase (2018-2022), which was funded by a $14.4 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Phase II will be implemented over three years with a budget of $12.62 million. STEPCam is one of the largest teacher education initiatives in Cambodia, with a total investment of $27.02 million.
The event, led by H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, and Mr. Sardar Umar Alam, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, highlighted STEPCam’s successes, including the establishment of Cambodia’s first national Continuous Professional Development (CPD) system. The second phase aims to further enhance teacher training, professional development, classroom learning, and digital transformation in education, ensuring that every student has access to quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
