Cambodia Puts Inclusive Literacy at the Heart of National Progress

Flexible education is also available through the Basic Education Equivalency Programme, jointly implemented by the ministries responsible for education and labour with UNESCO.

Cambodia is placing literacy at the centre of its national development plans, recognising that the ability to read, write and understand essential information shapes access to education, safer employment and meaningful participation in community life. Human capital development is one of five priorities in the Royal Government of Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy Phase I for 2024–2028, built around equity, inclusion and the promise that no Cambodian should be left behind. Adult literacy has improved steadily during the past decade, yet gaps remain between women and men, rural and urban communities, and households with different income levels.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has made reducing these inequalities a priority under its Education Strategic Plan 2024–2028, which calls for education that is fair, inclusive, relevant, resilient and accessible throughout the country. This commitment shaped Cambodia's National and International Literacy Day celebration, held with UNESCO in Ratanakiri Province on 7 September 2026 under the theme "Literacy Promotes Inclusive Quality Education."

Ratanakiri brings Cambodia's diversity into focus

Ratanakiri provided a meaningful setting for the national celebration because it is home to communities with different ethnic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Inclusive literacy in such places depends on teaching people in languages they understand, while designing learning opportunities around gender, disability, location, age and personal circumstances.

Around 1,600 people attended the event, including government officials, development partners, teachers, students and community members. The programme opened with an exhibition of work created by students and local communities, followed by a poem presented by Sev Seak, a Grade 8 student from the Jaray ethnic group and a national literacy prize laureate. A performance of the traditional Kos Kong dance brought another expression of Ratanakiri's cultural identity to the celebration.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Dr Hang Chuon Naron outlined four priorities for turning the national theme into practical action: improving the quality of literacy education, reaching disadvantaged people and those outside school, combining digital literacy with lifelong learning, and building stronger partnerships among public institutions, development organisations and communities.

Learning opportunities reach factories and out-of-school youth

Cambodia's literacy work extends far beyond traditional classrooms. Since 2016, UNESCO and the Ministry have supported the Factory Literacy Programme, a workplace-based initiative created for employees in the garment, footwear and travel goods industry. Developed with employers and the Textile, Apparel, Footwear & Travel Goods Association in Cambodia, the programme teaches functional reading, writing, numeracy, critical thinking and workplace communication.

More than 4,800 garment workers have participated, with women representing over 92 percent of learners. These skills influence daily life in direct ways, allowing workers to read employment contracts with greater confidence, understand written safety instructions, communicate more effectively at work and help their children with homework.

Flexible education is also available through the Basic Education Equivalency Programme, jointly implemented by the ministries responsible for education and labour with UNESCO. BEEP allows out-of-school young people, including those already working in low-skilled jobs, to complete an online course equivalent to Grade 9. Graduates receive an accredited certificate that can open the door to formal technical and vocational education and further skills training.

Literacy built around the language people understand

UNESCO Representative to Cambodia Flavio Bonetti stressed that four in ten learners worldwide are not taught in a language they understand. Cambodia's linguistic diversity makes multilingual education especially important, requiring trained teachers, suitable learning materials and teaching methods designed around the languages spoken in learners' homes.

The celebration coincided with the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, observed globally under the theme 'Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity.' It also marked 75 years of Cambodia's membership in UNESCO, adding historical significance to a partnership focused on lifelong learning and inclusive development.

Literacy gives people more than academic knowledge. It strengthens independence, protects workers, supports families and creates pathways into better training and employment. Cambodia's progress shows what sustained public commitment can achieve, while the remaining disparities underline why literacy opportunities must reach factories, rural communities, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and young people who left school early.