The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has a policy objective to expand quality early childhood education services nationwide and is committed to increasing the enrollment rate of children aged 3 to 5 so they can receive quality education services. The expansion and improvement of community preschool services is one of the best options Cambodia can adopt to respond to the goals of sustainable educational development and the Education 2030 vision, ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education and promoting lifelong learning for all. Particularly, the 2030 targets ensure that all children receive preschool education, childcare, and quality early childhood development so they are well-prepared to enter primary education (MoEYS, 2019).
Early childhood education services that have been and are currently implemented in Cambodia include: public preschools, community preschools, private preschools, and parent education programs. Community preschools were established in targeted geographical areas that are remote or do not yet have public preschool facilities, in order to provide opportunities for children aged 3 to under 6 to access preschool education. These services have been implemented since 2003 under the cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, with support from various development partners.
According to the 2023–2024 annual education performance report, community preschool services accounted for one-fifth of all early childhood education services nationwide. However, a number of community preschools have faced and continue to face many challenges related to quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of services.