Phnom Penh, 6 June 2025 — The Education Champion Leaders Meeting, held on June 5th, brought together nearly 70 active members from across Cambodia’s education landscape, reinvigorating the sense of solidarity and shared mission within the NEP network. Participants included chairs and vice-chairs of Provincial Education Sector Working Groups (P-ESWGs), thematic working group members, and civil society education partners.
The meeting opened with a powerful and heartfelt address by Mr. Mark Desmaele, who challenged the sector to shift its mindset. “Children don’t drop out—they are pushed out,” he said. “When a child leaves school, our first question should not be ‘Why did they drop out?’ but rather ‘How did the system fail them?’” This call to rethink responsibility set the tone for a day of honest reflection and solution-focused dialogue.
One of the key sessions featured a presentation by Mr. Ngor Penglong on the Strategic Plan for Teacher Education Reform 2024–2030. The plan aims to enhance teacher quality through four main strategic priorities: revising the teacher training curriculum, increasing the number of qualified teachers, strengthening teacher training institutions, and introducing specialized skills such as ICT and early-grade reading assessments. The session provided attendees with a clearer understanding of national priorities and upcoming reforms.
Later in the day, participants joined thematic working group discussions across seven areas: Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, Lifelong Learning, Education and Disability, School Reform, Teacher Capacity Development, and Youth Empowerment. These group sessions enabled members to share experiences, highlight local challenges, and propose collaborative actions.
Ms. Soun Kimsoung, Vice Chair of the Siem Reap ESWG and representative of Room to Read, appreciated the practical approach of the meeting. She shared that the group discussions and experience-sharing helped her deepen her understanding of national reforms and NEP’s tools, like the Policy Bank.
Ms. Prum Bopha, Chair of the Svay Rieng ESWG, emphasized the value of peer learning, noting that strategies from other provinces could be adapted for local use. She encouraged stronger participation from ministry representatives in future meetings to address questions and feedback directly.
Importantly, the meeting upheld principles of inclusion, with the presence of participants with disabilities—a reminder of NEP’s commitment to ensuring that every voice in the education sector is heard and valued.
As members returned to their provinces, they carried not only insights and plans—but also a renewed sense of purpose. The NEP family spirit is alive and thriving, committed to transforming schools into places where every child belongs, learns, and flourishes.
