(The) challenges of technical and vocational education and training in Cambodia with the implication of Korean experience

Abstract

Emerging skills gap is one of the main key issues in the process of Cambodia socio-economic development. Cambodia has to solve this skill gap if it is to achieve the vision of becoming the upper-middle income by 2030. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is considered one of the most appropriate tools to accumulate skilled workforces and especially for productivity enhancement. This study attempts to look for the challenges in technical and vocational education and training system of Cambodia and the appropriate lesson from the other country in tackling the labor issues during the take-off stage. A qualitative approach is employed for this study by using primary data and secondary data collected from the government institutions and agencies. The study shows that there are many challenges in TVET system in Cambodia: high dropout rate of lower secondary education, urban bias, the qualified trainers, the training courses and the current and future labor demand, misperception over TVET graduates. Although, the Cambodian government has made efforts in developing vocational training system in Cambodia to correct the mismatch and narrow down the skill gap between the labor supply and demand in the transitional labor market in the country, yet there is slow progressing in developing this systems due to a number of challenges including limitation of human and financial resources, low quality of general basic education, weak and ineffective regulations and governance structures, and perceptions of Cambodian public.