ANN/THE STAR – The World Bank has approved USD79.5 million in additional financing to expand activities that are improving access to quality education across Cambodia, said its news release on Friday.
The funding will be used to scale up the Cambodia General Education Improvement Project, approved in January 2022 with initial financing of USD69.25 million, the news release said, adding that the additional financing included a USD19.5-million grant from the Global Partnership for Education.
“Cambodia has made great strides in expanding access to education over the last two decades, but low student learning outcomes and inequitable access to quality education remain key challenges,” World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia Maryam Salim said.
“This additional financing reinforces efforts to tackle learning poverty and build the human capital needed for Cambodia’s growth and development,” she added.
The additional financing will expand project activities to another 500 secondary schools, 1,000 primary schools, and 90 preschools across the country, the news release said.
Key activities will include providing more training and professional development for teachers, school leaders and staff, constructing and renovating more classrooms, laboratories and school buildings with climate-resilient design, piloting education technology to increase quality learning hours and modernising textbooks and developing teacher guides.
“The project places a strong emphasis on making it easier for children from disadvantaged groups, poor families, or ethnic minority communities, including those in remote areas or living with disabilities, to get to school and receive quality learning opportunities,” the news release said.
