The rapid growth of private international schools in Cambodia is changing the Kingdom’s education landscape, resulting in an abundance of learning opportunities for the younger generation.

The entry of private schools, mostly operated by foreign companies, is beginning to raise the bar in the education sector and fill the demand-supply gap in the school system.

Today, dozens of international schools offer a range of challenging curriculums – based on British,

American, Singaporean and French models – that appeal strongly to both Cambodia’s growing middle-class and expatriate community.

“I think the international institutions play an important role because they serve as a model for our education sector and enable us to develop Cambodia’s school system.

“In private international institutions in Cambodia, the standard of education is higher than in ours because they are designed to meet international standards, which largely exceed our educational standards,” Sipar director Hok Sothik told The Post.

Sipar is a non-governmental organisation that has been promoting literacy in Cambodia for more than two decades.

Many English-medium education providers are capitalising on the need for quality education from aspirational middle-class parents, particularly in urban areas where there is pressing demand for better schooling.

Well-equipped private schools – providing better infrastructure, modern classroom settings and highly professional academic staff – are able to offer demanding curriculums to match market demand and serve those who can afford them.

According to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, a total of 218, 357 students were enrolled in 1,222 private schools nationwide – from pre-school to high school.

Operating alongside public schools, private institutions play a pivotal role by promoting diverse education.

“These international institutions have also contributed to the needs of our country and the inquisitiveness of Cambodian children, especially for families who can afford them.

“Some institutions also adapt the official Cambodian curriculum, so young people can work in Cambodia when they graduate. For other institutions, their trend is to focus on international markets, such as Europe or the US,” Sothik said.

However, he cautioned of a downside to the growth of private schooling in the Cambodian education sector.

High fees and less priority given to the teaching of the Khmer language were notable drawbacks, he said.

“Some Cambodian students who study in private international institutions do not study Khmer.

“They only know English, so it will be a challenge for them working in Cambodia if they do not speak Khmer properly.

“In private international schools, Khmer language should at least be taught for Cambodian students. Sometimes parents desperately want their children to learn English, so they do not get the opportunity to fully learn Khmer.

“These children can speak Khmer, but they do not know how to properly read and write it – in the future this could affect their identity,” Sothik said.