Asia
1. Outline of the ProjectCountry:

Project title:

Kingdom of Cambodia

Secondary School Teacher Training Project in Science and Mathematics

Issue/Sector:

Cooperation scheme:

Education

Technical Cooperation Project

Division in charge:

Total cost:

First Technical Cooperation Division,
Social Development Cooperation Department

Approximately 500 Million Yen

Period ofCooperation

1 August 2000 - 31 July Partner Country's Implementing Organization:
2003
Faculty of Pedagogy(FOP), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport

Supporting Organization in Japan:
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT),
Nagoya University, Aichi University of Education, Gifu University, Mie University,Nara University of Education, Tokai Women's Junior College

Related Cooperation:
In-Country Training, Dispatch of Experts (teaching advisor, etc.)

1-1 Background of the ProjectMedium-term outlook in the National Program to Rehabilitate and Develop Cambodia (NPRD) announced in 1994 its aim toincrease the GDP twofold in the first 10 years, and to improve social services such as health care and education. The"Improvement Plan for Basic Education"(1995 - 2000) set a goal, "the improvement of the quality of education." Under thesecircumstances, the government of Cambodia requested to the government of Japan for a project-type technical cooperation(now changed to Technical Cooperation Project) with the aims at fostering science and mathematics teachers and enhancing
training programs for them.

1-2 Project Overview
The project helps to improve the training curriculum for trainer's training and transfer techniques on human development,
including the development of textbooks in order to foster science and mathematics teachers and to enhance their training
programs in Cambodia.
(1) Overall Goal
Capacities of science and mathematics teachers are enhanced.
(2) Project Purpose
1) To prepare a medium-term and/or long-term plan for improving secondary school teacher training in science andmathematics.
2) To enhance the capacity of the Faculty of Pedagogy (FOP) in science and mathematics education.
(3) Outputs
1) The quality of existing pre-service teacher training program is improved.
2) Trainers are prepared for the introduction of new ideas.
3) Activities for promoting science and mathematics education are conducted.
4) A future plan for secondary science and mathematics teacher training is prepared.

(4) Inputs
Japanese side:Long-term Experts

6Equipment

Approx.47 million yen

Short-term Experts19Others (management fee)

Approx.122 million yen

Trainees received

12

Cambodian Side:Counterparts

12

Land and Facilities
Local Cost

2. Evaluation Team
Members ofEvaluation Team

Team Leader/General: Eiji INUI, Director, First Technical Cooperation Division, Social Development
Cooperation Department, JICA
Science Cooperation: Fumio KAWAIZUMI, Assistant Professor, Graduate School, Nagoya University
Mathematics Cooperation: Masashi SUZUKI, Assistant Professor, Aichi University of Education
Evaluation Planning: Hiroyuki YAKUSHI, First Technical Cooperation Division, Social Development
Cooperation Department, JICA
Project Evaluations: Michiko EBATO, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

Period ofEvaluation

2 March 2003 - 8 March Type of Evaluation:
2003
Terminal Evaluation(Consultant members:
19 - 24 January, 2 - 7March)

3. Results of Evaluation
3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results(1) RelevanceThe national development plans such as the "National Program Rehabilitate and Development Cambodia (NPRD)" in 1994 andthe "Socio-Economic Development Plan" in 2001 announced the necessity of human resource development, which was thefoundation for Cambodia's socio-economic development. Therefore, the project is in line with the needs in the education sector.
Japan has the only aid agency to support the science and mathematics education in the upper secondary education, while themajority of other aid agencies focus on the development of basic education. Japan has enough knowledge and experiences tosupport the science and mathematics education sector. In the future, the ratio of enrollment to upper secondary and secondary
education is expected to increase, and thus more teachers will be required. Judging from such factors, the project has highrelevancy.
(2) EffectivenessAmong the project purposes, "to prepare a medium-term and/or long-term plan for improving secondary school teacher training
in science and mathematics" will be mostly accomplished. At the final evaluation, relevant officials continued discussions on thepositioning of medium-term and long-term plan and its contents. It is expected that a realistic proposal for a medium-term andlong-term plan for fostering and training science and mathematics teachers will be submitted. The other project purpose, "toenhance the capacity of Faculty of Pedagogy (FOP) in science and mathematics education" is less likely to be achievedsufficiently by the end of the scheduled period. This is due to the low level of achievement of the outputs 1) and 2), due to thefact that the basic capabilities of teachers were lower than expected. However, as for output 3), activities for promoting scienceand mathematics education, it will be accomplished for the most part, through training of local teachers and issuing newsletters.
(3) Efficiency
Inputs of long-term and short-term experts were mostly appropriate. However, the completion was delayed for the constructionof the Science and Mathematics Education Center, which lowered the efficiency as a whole. Training of the counterparts waseffective in terms of its contents, number of dispatched personnel, and timing. Their experience in the training was later utilized
in their classes, and in developing their own experimental equipment.
(4) Impact
Some positive impacts were made toward the accomplishment of the overall goal in various forms, such as the implementationof workshops for teachers and improved capabilities of the graduates of FOP. Active involvement of the government in scienceand mathematics education was also observed. For example, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has issued a guideline
to all the upper secondary schools to introduce six hours of experiment in a year for science classes in upper secondaryeducation. The Ministry also assured a budget for workshops on science and mathematics for local teachers. This is perhaps
because the project activities were highly evaluated, and the Ministry recognized that the science and mathematics education insecondary education as more important. On the other hand, it was observed as a negative impact, that the FOP may become
more dependent on the project financially.
(5) Sustainability
It may take more time to assure sustainability. As the organizational and financial sustainability of FOP is not clear, it wasunclear whether the equipment provided by the project would continue to be utilized and maintained, and whether FOP would
be able to continue the project activities. Instructors had already received training on the maintenance of experimental
equipment at the Science and Mathematics Education Center. Thus, the equipment will be maintained at least while thesetrainees remain at FOP. Therefore, sustainability in terms of these issues will be assured. However, the instructors did not reachthe level that would allow them to improve their teaching capabilities on their own in the future and therefore, continual support
would be required.

3-2 Factors that Promoted the Realization of Effects(1) Factors Concerning the Planning
1) Adaptabilities and flexibility of long-term experts toward actual situations.
2) Effective input of short-term experts with high expertise.
3) Introduction of ways to encourage learners to take initiative.
4) Input of experimental equipment and methods of utilizing the materials procurable on site.
5) Dissemination of information by translating foreign documents into Cambodian.
(2) Factors concerning the Implementation Process
1) Improvement of organizational capacity through smooth communication between experts and FOP instructors.
2) Smooth and effective information exchange with the supporting committee in Japan.

3-3 Factors that Impeded the Realization of Effects(1) Factors Concerning the Planning1) Lack of agreement among concerned personnel on why and for whom the medium-term and long-term plans weredeveloped.
2) It was described that long-term and short-term experts were dispatched as necessary in both of the original Project DesignMatrix (PDMo) and the revised PDM (PDM1). However, in the record of discussion (R/D), which took place before implementing
the project, the experts were described simply as "experts on science/mathematics," and their specific subjects were notspecified. This, which resulted in the input of experts on physics and biology to be delayed.
(2) Factors concerning the Implementation Process
1) An earlier completion of the Science and Mathematics Education Center was necessary in order to enhance the efficiency
within the three-year project period.
2) The standard monthly wages for FOP instructors were low and they had to supplement their income by having a side job.
However, the counterparts of the project could not continue their side jobs as the project activities kept them busy, and thecounterparts were caught in a dilemma. The project paid necessary management fees, but difference of opinions remained
among the counterparts and experts. For example, the counterparts claimed that the amount paid was not sufficient comparedto other donors. However, at the time of this survey, the counterparts recognized the importance of the activities and a trusting
relationship was built between the experts and counterparts

3-4 Conclusion
As for one of the project purposes, ("to enhance the capacity of Faculty of Pedagogy (FOP) in science and mathematicseducation") great improvement was observed since the commencement of the project. However, outputs 1) and 2) related to theabove project purpose were not accomplished sufficiently. The degree of improvement of the FOP instructors' basic knowledge
and teaching skills was limited, and the amount they accomplished since the beginning of the project was less than expected.
This adversely affected the accomplishment of the project purpose, as well as the sustainability in the utilization of the Scienceand Mathematics Education Center. Judging from the above evaluation results, continuous support will be necessary to further
improve the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the project.

3-5 Recommendations(1) The level of achievement of output 1 (The quality of existing pre-service teacher training program is improved) and output 2(Trainers are prepared for the introduction of new ideas) are low. Therefore, one of the project purposes, "Capacity of FOP inscience and mathematics education is enhanced," will not be accomplished within the originally set three-year project period.
Meanwhile, the improvement of science and mathematics education accompanying experimental practices utilizing the Scienceand Mathematics Education Center has brought various outcomes. By continuing the project activities for two more schoolyears, the project is expected to bring steady outcomes. Judging from the above, the project should be extended by one year
and three months.
(2) If the project is to be extended for one year and three months, the detailed plan of operation for the extension period shall be
discussed between Cambodian side and Japanese side, and completed by the end of March 2003.
(3) It is necessary to set up a committee to utilize and manage the Science and Mathematics Education Center. It is also
important to consider how to assure the necessary budget for the operation and management of the Center, annual utilization
plan of its facilities, and maintenance and management of them after the termination of the project.
(4) It is necessary to hold thorough discussions when assigning and allocating counterparts, to achieve a more effective andefficient technical cooperation project. In conducting workshops or education for teachers, sufficient consideration should bemade so that techniques are transferred not only to the counterparts but also to all the instructors of related subjects.
(5) The medium-term and long-term plan should be discussed by both the Japanese and the Cambodian sides, and a draft
should be completed by July 2003. If the project period is to be extended, both the Cambodian and the Japanese side shallstudy the feasibility of the plan.

3-6 Lessons Learned(1) It is necessary to carefully consider the cooperation period for a project in the education sector, especially if it is the firstcooperation in a recipient country, because, in many cases, it takes time till the project effects are realized.
(2) It is very important to set up concrete indicators at the initial stage of the project. The effectiveness of the indicators shallalso be assessed as early as possible.

3-7 Follow-up Situation
Based on the above recommendations, the project will extend its cooperation period to 31 October 2004.