External Assistance Programs for Basic Education in Cambodia : The Impact on the Government's Educational Policies and Development

Cambodia suffered incalculable socio-cultural destruction, genocide, international isolation, and political economic turmoil during the 1970s and 1980s. This nation, which had been known as one of the most peaceful and prosperous nations in Southeast Asia during the 1950s and 1960s, opts to reclaim its prosperity through education enhancement. Regenerating traditional culture and education in the 1980s led to a socioeconomic rehabilitation and political change. The 1993 general election supervised by the United Nations directed to the establishment of a legitimate government and helped draw international support for the nation's improvement. This proud people with a difficult history regained exposure to the international community through various social and educational support programs of the United Nations (UN), International Organizations (IO), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) as the government's developmental partners during its struggling period of the 1990s. This external assistance was indispensable for this one of the world poorest nations. This paper identifies and examines these bodies' contributions since the 1990 Jomtien World Conference on Education for A11 (WCEFA). It also discusses their combined forces in assisting the Cambodian government to achieve the goal of EFA