Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education is 3. Free pre-primary education is not granted in legal frameworks. Compulsory pre-primary education is not granted in legal frameworks. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes is 36.5%.
Governance
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) is responsible for financing pre-primary education, allocating and overseeing education budgets.
Tuition-free status
Cambodia does not offer universally free pre-primary education. Article 31 of the 2007 Education Law and Article 68 of the 2008 Constitution guarantee at least nine years of free education in public schools, which covers primary and lower secondary.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
MoEYS allocates funding for pre-primary education from the national education budget to public schools or local education offices for expenditure on salaries, infrastructure, teacher stipends, and materials.
2. Education resources to institutions
Government subsidies are allocated to public pre-primary institutions primarily through School Operations Budgets (SOB) and School Improvement Grants (SIG), which are distributed as school grants by MoEYS via the National Treasury. The allocation of SOBs is based on school location and student enrolment.
The 2019 Cambodia Education 2030 Roadmap details strategies for the expansion of integrated ECE programmes, specifically targeting disadvantaged children. The goal is to provide free and compulsory pre-primary education to enable access for disadvantaged children.
3. Education resources to students and families
No information was found on MoEYS-administered financial support mechanisms for pre-primary education.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Cambodia’s Cash Transfer Programme for Poor and Vulnerable Households, launched in June 2020 in response to the economic impact of COVID-19, provides monthly financial support to low-income families identified through the IDPoor system, with amounts varying by household size, location, and specific vulnerabilities such as pregnancy, old age, or disability. Founded mainly by the government and overseen by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), the programme was not specifically designed to improve education but has helped increase school attendance by enabling families to cover educational costs, maintain economic stability, and adapt to online learning. Discussions are ongoing about making the programme permanent.
