On 8 September 2023, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS), with the support of UNESCO, organized a national event in Preah Vihear to celebrate International Literacy Day. The national theme for this year is "Literacy is the Foundation of Entrepreneurship and Economics," which aligns with the global theme of "Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies." These themes underscore the role of literacy in acquiring knowledge and skills to lead productive and meaningful lives, and realize basic human rights for all. The event was chaired by His Excellency Nos Sles, Secretary of State at the MoEYS and attended by more than 1600 participants, including national and subnational level government officials, development partners and NGO partners.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency Nos Sles, Secretary of State of the MoEYS emphasised the "important and indispensable" role of literacy in Cambodia to promote the development of the country and its people - "Literacy is the foundation of knowledge. Literacy is the foundation of education. Literacy is the basis of lifelong learning. Literacy is the key to development and literacy contributes to reducing poverty." He conveyed a written message by Samdech Prime Miniter Hun Manet in commemoration of International Literacy Day. The message underscored that the knowledge and skills derived from literacy education, encompassing both soft and hard skills, enable individuals to become competent, creative, and innovative, thereby fostering entrepreneurship, economic growth, and contributing positively to families and society.
This year marks the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which serves as a crucial reminder to not only monitor progress, but also ensure that no one is left behind. During the event, His Excellency Nos Sles expressed the need for continued support and commitment toward literacy programmes to promote productive growth and sustainable development, "especially for those from lower economic backgrounds and disadvantaged individuals such as the vulnerable children and out-of-school youth, factory workers, and indigenous youth."
Since 2016, UNESCO has been providing support to the MoEYS for the implementation of a unique workplace-based literacy initiative. Through partnerships with employers in the garment, footwear and travel goods industry, the Factory Literacy Programme (FLP-SkillsFuture) provides a tailor-made literacy programme to enable garment factory workers to acquire basic functional literacy skills and life skills. A total of 3,135 students, of which 96% are women, have benefitted from the programme since its launch. In addition, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), MoEYS and UNESCO has been implementing the Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP) to provide flexible alternative online education to out-of-school youth to complete basic education, equivalent to Grade 9. The completion of BEEP enables youth, often in low-skilled occupations, to enrol in formal TVET institutions to pursue further skills training.
Over the past decade, Cambodia has also experienced rapid and structural changes in its economy. New trends such as digitalization and artificial intelligence call for urgent need to empower individuals to engage with information and technology, adapt to the changing economic structure, and build resilience in the face of emerging issues including disinformation, digital vulnerability, and climate change. The new challenges re-affirm literacy as a fundamental skill that enable individuals to read and write, but also comprehend and analyse information, and identify opportunities. Building on the progress already made in Cambodia, concerted collaborative efforts from the government and other stakeholders, including the private sector, are needed to strengthen literacy, skills development and lifelong learning opportunities through formal, non-formal, and informal systems.
In his message to mark International Literacy Day, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia Mr. Sardar Umar Alam emphasised the importance for Cambodia to be literate and digital-ready and highlighted three recommendations, namely - invest in digital infrastructure and comprehensive digital skills training programmes; cultivate a culture of lifelong learning by encouraging especially youth to continuously upgrade their skills to keep pace with changes in the economy and society; and strengthen collaborations with government agencies, educational institutions and the private sector to improve the quality of education.
About FLP-SkillsFuture and BEEP:
FLP-SkillsFuture and BEEP are part of the second phase of the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY) mainly funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
In synergy with strategic partner Textile, Apparel, Footwear & Travel Goods Association in Cambodia (TAFTAC), FLP-SkillsFuture provides workplace-based classes to equip garment factory workers with functional literacy and numeracy skills to improve their reading, writing, critical thinking, work communications and performance.
BEEP is the flagship collaborative initiative between the MLVT and MoEYS, launched by the two ministries and UNESCO to address the issue of high dropout rates at lower secondary level in Cambodia. Upon completion of the programme, learners receive a certificate equivalent to Grade 9 accredited by the two ministries which enables them to pursue further skills development through formal TVET programmes.
