WASHINGTON, May 30, 2024 — The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved $79.5 million in additional financing to expand activities that are improving access to quality education across Cambodia.
The funding will be used to scale up the Cambodia General Education Improvement Project, which was approved in January 2022 with initial financing of $69.25 million. The additional financing includes a $60 million credit from the International Development Association, the World Bank's fund for those most in need and a $19.5 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,” said World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia Maryam Salim. “This additional financing reinforces efforts to tackle learning poverty and build the human capital needed for Cambodia’s growth and development.”
The additional financing will expand project activities to another 500 secondary schools, 1,000 primary schools, and 90 preschools across the country. Key activities include:
Scaling up school-based management in the additional schools;
Providing more training and professional development opportunities 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;
Modernizing textbooks and developing teacher guides aligned with the national curriculum;
Strengthening sector planning, monitoring and evaluation.
The project places 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.
“GPE remains steadfast in our commitment to Cambodia, striving to expand access to quality education for more children, particularly those facing the greatest challenges,” said Laura Frigenti, GPE Chief Executive Officer. “This additional financing provides an opportunity to strengthen the education system and accelerate Cambodia's learning recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About the World Bank
The World Bank has a bold vision: to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. The World Bank provides financing, advice, and innovative solutions that improve lives by creating jobs, strengthening economic growth, and confronting the most urgent global development challenges. The World Bank is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It consists of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries, and the International Development Association (IDA), which provides grants and zero- or low-interest loans to fight extreme poverty in the world’s 75 poorest and most vulnerable countries. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org
About the Global Partnership for Education
GPE is a shared commitment to ending the world’s learning crisis. We mobilize partners and funds to support 90 lower-income countries to transform their education systems so that every girl and boy can get the quality education they need to unlock their full potential and contribute to building a better world.
