Private educational institutions, at both the primary and secondary levels, have announced that they will not increase tuition fees for the upcoming academic year.

The decision comes as the country has seen an increase in youth enrolment in vocational and technical training programmes, following the recent high school exam results last week.

In response to a request from Prime Minister Hun Manet, the Cambodian Higher Education Association (CHEA) – comprising 141 member institutions – and the Federation of Educational Services in Cambodia (FESC) – which represents 120 private schools – agreed to maintain current tuition fees. They are also considering the possibility of reducing fees for students from impoverished backgrounds.

Manet expressed his gratitude for the decision to freeze tuition costs and underscored the government’s continued support for the education sector through consistent policies aimed at providing relief to private education institutions.

These initiatives are designed to alleviate financial pressures for universities, schools, parents, guardians and students. The support measures include income tax exemptions, reductions in minimum tax and other tax cuts from 2024-2028.

Chhort Bunthang, a specialist in education and cultural affairs at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, stated that the tuition freeze by the schools complements the government’s tax exemptions and is appropriate, given that Cambodia and the world continue to face economic difficulties post-pandemic.

He believes this commitment will assist students from lower-income families in accessing higher education and called on all private schools to honour their commitments.

He also pointed out that while some private universities have offered scholarships to high-ranking officials who then passed them on to needy students, these students still encounter high administrative fees, which often prevent them from continuing their studies.

“Higher education institutions and universities should fully implement what they have agreed to and avoid promises that look good but fall short in practice,” Bunthang commented, noting that even well-defined regulations and policies have sometimes been poorly implemented in the past.

Last week, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport announced the results of the 2024 high school exams, with a pass rate of 79 per cent among over 100,000 candidates.

While those with financial means can pursue higher education and students who passed the exam with good grades can receive scholarships, youths from low-income backgrounds are encouraged to enrol in vocational training under a programme announced by the government in November 2023. The initiative aims to provide opportunities for a total of 1.5 million youths.

Katta Orn, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, told The Post that as of November 1, nearly 70,000 disadvantaged and vulnerable youths have registered for training, including 26,266 women. Of these, 12,755 completed their courses, with 3,593 securing employment.

Orn also noted an increase in applications for vocational training over the past week following the announcement of the high school exam results, although final numbers have yet to be compiled.