PM Hun Manet Outlines 12 Priorities for Cambodia’s Education Sector in 2025–2026

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Oct.31,2025)— Prime Minister Hun Manet on Saturday announced 12 strategic priorities for Cambodia’s education sector, marking the start of the 2025–2026 academic year. The initiatives aim to strengthen school governance, support vulnerable students, and improve learning outcomes nationwide.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet called for continued implementation of education reforms, tasking the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) with enhancing school governance through the Model School Standards and close collaboration with the Secretariat of the School-Based Management Program. The focus will be on improving efficiency and sustainability in the 161 existing model primary schools, rather than expanding their number.

To support children returning from Thailand, MoEYS must coordinate with local authorities and development partners to collect accurate data, facilitate enrollment or re-enrollment, and prioritize children with special needs. Enrollment procedures will be simplified, requiring no official documents such as birth certificates, residence books, family books, or medical certificates.

In areas affected by the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict, MoEYS is instructed to work with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and other agencies to inspect school sites, assess damage, and clear explosive remnants of war before reconstruction. Public awareness campaigns on mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) safety will be conducted for residents, teachers, and students.

For schools unable to operate due to conflict, temporary learning spaces will be arranged at nearby safe schools or alternative locations such as Wat Pou 5000 Derm and Tuol Andet, based on students’ grade levels.

MoEYS, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, will pilot a new education pathway beginning in Grade 10, offering three tracks: Science, Social Science, and Vocational. The pilot will target secondary schools with strong potential, especially those with resource centers or located in special economic zones. Career orientation will begin in Grade 7, with students placed into specialized tracks in Grade 10 based on their interests and abilities.

To improve academic performance, all educational institutions are required to fully implement the official curriculum and introduce additional learning programs to extend study time by at least two hours per day. Priority subjects include Khmer language, reading, and mathematics, alongside efforts to reinforce discipline, morality, and student behavior.