Vocational education in Cambodia

Technical education is also known as vocational education and training (VET). DBFC has developed its works around VET for one reason: the post-war period.

When Don Bosco began its activities of education in the Khmer refugee camps in Thailand (1980s), young people and children were out of an education system, while in Cambodia most schools were destroyed, teachers were assassinated, fled the country or made soldiers.

Male population was low. For example, in 1998 it was of 51.8 %, but in that same year, the 42.8 % of the national population was under 14 years old. [ref. WFP, Cambodia population]

There was the urgent to prepare the youth in practical skills able to help in the recovery of their country.

From the different needs of Cambodia, DBFC chose technical education as a way to contribute in the overcoming of its situations.

However, recovery during the post-war or post-conflict years of Cambodia (1987 - 1999), was marked by a gradual increase of social inequality. Poor communities were let behind the line of development.

According to the World Bank studies of Cambodian social inequality by 2004, for example, 64.6 of children belonging to poorest communities in the country, could access to primary, while 86.9 of richest children did. The big jump comes for lower secondary with 3.3 of poorest children attending and 1% reaching an upper secondary. [ref. Cambodian Economic Review, p.8]

The development period of Cambodia began with the opening of its economy in 1999 through foreign investment. Since then, the Cambodian economy experienced a positive growing only affected by the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

The lack of skillful personnel was going to be an obstacle and the government invested also in the opening of polytechnics. Some teachers of the current polytechnics in Cambodia are Don Bosco past-pupils and they have helped in the development of new technical programs.

The mission of Don Bosco in vocational education and training is to prepare skillful personnel for jobs that are related with techniques and technologies for the Cambodian development. The students come exclusively from the poorest communities of the country, because they have been excluded from the main streams of development. DBFC works in order to include poor communities in the development process, so its benefits reach all Cambodians.

The method of education in the Don Bosco schools in Cambodia is that of vocational training. Theory has its important space as the introduction for the youth, but it has a big emphasis in technical practice and learning by doing. Classrooms in the different technical schools are made in a way that imitates real work environments.

Students that finished 9th grade, can applied to the Don Bosco schools, because vocational training is considered upper education for them. In this case, the Royal Ministry of Education of Cambodia approved that students of Don Bosco with 9th grade, are recognized as 12th graders and, therefore, are able to join superior education when they can.

Students that finished 12th grade and applied to Don Bosco are expected to get an associated degree. Don Bosco is negotiating this point with the Royal Ministry of Education and it has been approved partially, for example, in Don Bosco Technical School of Sihanoukville.

Don Bosco puts a great emphasis in discipline as a way to get the attention of the youth and understand the importance of their formation. Sport, cultural events and human formation is also integrated in their daily activities. Cleanliness, order, punctuality, transparency, tolerance, honesty, initiative, creativity, love for science and knowledge are values of great importance in the Don Bosco school.

Recommended readings:

• Cambodia Economic Association, 'Cambodia Economic Review', Issue 3, June 2007.
• Kang Chandararot and Chan Sophal, 'Cambodia's Annual Economic Review', Cambodia Development Resource Institute, Phnom Penh, 2003.
• World Food Program (WFP), 'Cambodia Demography' (in Khmer and English), 2010. Link: http://foodsecurityatlas.org/khm/country/demography/population.