14, 378 marginalised, out-of-school children are now supported to have equitable access to school

World Vision in partnership with Aide et Action / Action Education (AEA) has made significant strides, enrolling 14,378 marginalised children across 10 provinces in Cambodia by June 2024. 

The Cambodia Consortium for Out of School Children (CCOSC) project, Co-funded by Education Above All, Aide et Action, World Vision International (WVI), which aims to provide equitable, quality, and relevant primary education to out-of-school children in Cambodia, has achieved unprecedented enrollment rates, 168% over its initial target. This success is attributed to several key initiatives: distributing essential study materials, capacity building for education actors and primary school teachers, awareness and enrollment campaigns, quarterly meetings between parents/caregivers and teachers to support low-performance students, and organizing provincial learning forums to share best practices and address issues related to children’s learning. 

Marginalized, Out-of-school children have been categorized into five types: children without access to school, children in emergency or crisis situations, children who have dropped out of school, children who are enrolled but do not attend regularly and children who have access to school but are not enrolled. 

Mr. Mat Somit, Senior Project Manager, WVI, said, “We are committed to ensuring that every child in our target areas has access to quality education. We included the enrolled children in our early-grade teaching curriculum, and we provided in-kind study support for their learning. Seeing the smiles of children when they receive our support is incredibly rewarding.” 

The project team collaborated with schools and community members to identify these out-of-school children (including 49% girls) and distributed 1,531 bikes, 14,320 school backpacks, 38,760 notebooks, and supplementary books to 3,607 Grade 1 and 2 students in 10 target provinces. 

Policy dialogues and advocacy activities have contributed to the incorporation of recommendations into government policies and programmes, particularly in the areas of inclusive education and quality education for marginalised children. The project continues to monitor and evaluate the progress of the action plan from the provincial learning forums and plans to share the results of the actions in upcoming forums and continue to advocate for solutions to other identified issues. 

H.E Kem KimAng, a member of Takeo provincial council, one of the 10 provinces where World Vision implements the CCOSC, expressed her support, stating, “The Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to strengthening the quality of education and increasing nationwide enrollment. We are proud to be part of this initiative. The progress made by the CCOSC project is a testament to what we can achieve when the government and CSOs work together for the betterment of our children’s future.” 

“We are excited about the future and are dedicated to sharing the results of the action plan and advocating for solutions to the other issues identified. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of out-of-school children in Cambodia,” added Mat Somit. 

Aide et Action / Action Education (AEA) and World Vision International (WVI)  on February 2023 signed a partnership agreement aiming to promote equitable access, quality and relevance of primary education and the ownership and accountability to address the issues of the marginalised, Out-of-School Children (OOSC), covering 638 primary schools in 31 districts of 10 provinces across Cambodia, consisting of Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kandal, Kampong Thom, Kratie, Preah Vihear,  Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Siem Reap.  

Mr. Vorn Samphors, the Country Director of AEA/Action Education, stated that “the milestone achievement is a joint collaboration between AEA and World Vision under the direction of the Education Strategic Plan to ensure that children who face difficulties in their families and communities can benefit from educational services. Together with our consortium partners, we are dedicated to creating more impactful outcomes.” 

“Together with our consortium partners, we are committed to continue working towards impactful educational outcomes, ensuring that every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to build a brighter future,” affirmed Mat Somit.