Process Evaluation of Cambodia’s Early Grade Learning Program Recommendations for Program Improvement (2024)

In Cambodia, 59% of children struggle with reading, writing and maths by the end of primary school. Learning gaps start early in grades 1 to 3 and worsen over time. By grade 3, most students score only 40% on math tests and nearly one out of four students cannot write a single word in a dictation test.

The Early Grade Learning Programme (EGLP) in Cambodia addresses these critical literacy and numeracy gaps in years 1–3. Supported by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Inclusive Primary Education Activity (IPEA), Capacity Development Partnership Fund (CDPF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and VVOB, the EGLP programme provides a student-centred curriculum, teacher training, mentorship and new teaching materials. Piloted in 2018–2019 in Kampong Thom and Siem Reap, EGLP has expanded to 24 provinces, with plans for nationwide implementation.

An evaluation by IDinsight highlights notable improvements in pupil engagement and learning outcomes, attributed to interactive teaching methods, comprehensive training and mentorship support. While parents recognise improvements in pupil skills, challenges remain, including limited resources, time constraints for teachers and inconsistent parental involvement. Strengthening mentorship, resource allocation and monitoring systems will be crucial for sustaining and scaling EGLP’s impact.

The report and policy brief were conducted for several programmes in Cambodia, including VVOB’s SMILE project.