Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Cambodia, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) holds overall responsibility for primary and secondary education. It directs resource allocation, including budget management, and coordinates with international donors and NGOs to advance sector development. At the subnational level, Provincial and District Offices of Education implement MoEYS policies and oversee school operations. Their functions include teacher deployment, school inspections, and distribution of learning materials.
The national budget serves as the primary source of recurrent funding for the education sector, covering recurrent expenses such as teacher salaries, school operations, and administrative costs. MoEYS allocates funds for teacher salaries, school infrastructure, and educational materials. Additional support, primarily for capital expenditures, comes from international development partners, including UNICEF, UNESCO, and bilateral donors, who provide financial and technical support, particularly for initiatives targeting marginalized groups and improving quality and access to education. The School Operation Fund (SOF) channels both government and external funds. Each school has received the SOF since 2019, based on its reported student enrolment rate and level of schooling. The flow of school operational budgets, from proposal to cash disbursement, is illustrated here.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
From the early 2000s until 2019, financial resources for education were channelled from the central government to provincial offices, which were responsible for managing and disbursing funds onwards. These transfers included recurrent allocations through School Operational Budgets and capital financing through School Improvement Grants. Since 2019, this arrangement has been consolidated under the School Operation Fund (SOF), which pools government and external resources within a single framework guided by the SOF Management Guidelines. Provincial offices remain the key intermediaries, coordinating budget flows and ensuring compliance with central directives.
2. Education resources to schools
Until 2019, schools received resources through two separate channels: recurrent expenditure support via School Operational Budgets and capital investment through School Improvement Grants. These have since been replaced by the School Operation Fund (SOF), which provides a unified source of financing for schools. Allocations are determined by reported student enrolment and level of schooling, with primary and secondary schools receiving proportionally higher transfers than early childhood providers. While the SOF has streamlined funding and strengthened predictability, it does not incorporate explicit equity criteria.
Inclusive Education Programme
The 2018 Policy on Inclusive Education and the 2019 Action Plan on Inclusive Education provide the framework for supporting students with disabilities. Since 2018, MoEYS has operated five schools for children with disabilities and an institute for special education training, previously managed by an NGO. The Ministry also allocates a portion of its annual budget to implement inclusive education in public general secondary schools, although the mechanisms for fund disbursement are not clearly defined.
3. Education resources to students and families
Scholarship Programme
After several years of externally funded scholarship programmes, the Cambodian government has gradually increased funding for scholarships to support students from disadvantaged families. These scholarships aim to ensure all children have access to education, especially those from underprivileged households. They help cover costs such as transport, uniforms, and learning materials, which can otherwise prevent children from attending school. The scholarships focus on children from low-income households to reduce dropout rates and improve school retention. Initially, they targeted students moving from primary to lower secondary school (grades 7-9) to address financial barriers that prevented attendance. The programme has since expanded to provide more scholarships to primary school students as well.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Cash Transfer Programme for Poor and Vulnerable Households
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. The 46 month long programme was funded 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.
National Social Assistance Program in the Family Package
The National Social Assistance Fund contains multiple forms of cash grants for low-income families. The family package combines several targeted programmes including the Integration Program, the Cash Subsidy Program for Pregnant Women and Children Under Two Years Old, the Poor Students in Primary and Secondary Education Scholarship Program, the Cash Subsidy Program for Persons with Disabilities, the Cash Subsidy Program for Persons with Disabilities, and the National Social Assistance Program for All Families with Equity Vouchers, and the Sponsorship of Family Members as HIV and AIDS Carriers. Families receive KHR 34 per month. Each child attending school may receive an additional KHR 20-30 depending on the school level. People with disabilities receive an additional KHR 28 per month. Students must have a valid enrolment certificate for the institution where they are attending school. Families are eligible if they are categorized as a poor households with an equity, first- or low-level voucher and a vulnerable family member.
5. School meal programmes
Home-Grown School Feeding Programme
The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, established in 2014 and implemented by MoEYS with support from the World Food Programme (WFP), provides in-school meals six days a week and take-home rations quarterly or biannually, targeting areas with high food insecurity, malnutrition, low educational performance, and vulnerable students. Designed to support educational, nutritional, and health outcomes while serving as a social safety net, the programme emphasises local procurement, with some schools sourcing fresh produce locally and staples such as rice supplied by the WFP. Although the government planned to take full ownership of the programme’s implementation and funding by 2021 under the National Social Protection Policy Framework 20162025, progress has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
