Asia
I. Outline of the ProjectCountry: Cambodia
Project title: Workshop on Primary Education & Gender
Issue Sector: Education
Cooperation scheme: In-country training; long-term expert
Division in Charge: Dept. Division
Total cost: 20 million yen
Cost per participant:5400 yen
Share of Japan's Contribution: 100 %Period of Cooperation (R/D): 2001-2003(Extension)(F/U):
Partner Country's Implementing Organization: MoEYS
Supporting Organization in Japan: JICA
Related Cooperation:

1. Background of the Project
In Cambodia, over 2.7 million students were enrolled in primary schools in the school year 2001-2002, up by 12.3% from theprevious year and 97% higher compared to a decade ago. However, a gender gap exists in terms of low retention rate of girls informal education, with 50% higher male enrollment in schools by age 15. Enrollment rates are virtually the same for boys andgirls at young ages, but the girls' rate begin to taper off relative to boys at age 11. In terms of repetition, the average was 41.2%
annually for Grade 1 from 1992 to 1999 despite the influx of about $14 million in the primary education system per year. Ingeneral, girls tend to have higher incidences of dropouts relative to boys at all levels, manifesting a reverse pattern to thatshown for student repetition. Nationally, dropout rates were 10.4% and 13% for boys and girls in 2001, respectively. The project
supports the Priority Action Plan (PAP) objectives for the primary education level, which is to improve progression rates, accessand participation from grades 1 to 9.

2. Project Overview
The project, carried out from 2000 to 2003, consists of workshops on primary education and gender issues and aimed to provide
training on child centered learning methodology, management, co-monitoring, gender, and girls' education. The underlying goalof the workshops was to strengthen the capability of directors of provincial and district education offices, principals, and teachersof cluster schools and staff of MOEYS.

(1) Overall Goal
What has been learned by the participants of the workshops is utilized in all primary schools in target provinces(2) Project Purpose
The capacity of PEO/DEO directors, school directors and technical teachers of core schools in the targeted provinces andMOEYS staff in the management of schools and teaching methodology is improved(3) Outputs
a. The participants improve their knowledge on child centered methodology (CCM), girls' education, co-monitoring andschool management
b. The participants transfer their knowledge on the issues above to others by acting as trainers at the workshopsc. MOEYS, PEO and DEO staff improve their capacity to implement workshops

(4) Inputs
Japanese side:
Long-term Expert

1

Local Cost

20milion

Cambodia's side:
Counterpart

5

II. Evaluation teamMembers of Evaluation Team- Mr. TAP Catalla Jr- Ms. Ratana Long- Mr. Ratanak Be
Period of Evaluation
4/02/04 - 14/03/04
Type of Evaluation:
Terminal Evaluation

III. Results of Evaluation
1 Summary of Evaluation Results(1) RelevanceThe project supports the objectives of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports in reducing dropout rates, repetition rates, andpromoting girls' education and gender issues in Cambodia(2) EffectivenessThe project has created a pool of trainers at the national and provincial levels, improved the teaching methodologies ofinstructors, and gave greater skill in monitoring and management of DEO and cluster school directors. Furthermore, the project
has improved capacity of directors in managing and monitoring, which has been pivotal in the adoption and continued use ofCCM.

(3) Efficiency
The use of resources by the project has been maximized. The target number of trainings at the national, provincial, and districtlevels has been achieved.

(4) Impact
Improved capacity of teachers in integrating CCM into teaching so that they become models for others who find application ofworkshop contents difficult; livelier participation and better school performance of students, girls have overcome their shyness;greater awareness in maintaining cleanliness of surroundings in school and in classrooms; greater awareness of the importanceof girls' education and gender issues. Other teachers who have not attended the workshop have also learned of the workshop
contents and incorporated these in their work. Some interviewees pointed out that the incorporation of gender issues intoclassroom helped increase girls' employment, which can be seen as an unforeseen impact of the project; however, it isassumed that there have been other factors which contributed to this phenomena.

(5) Sustainability
While the project's completion is recent, it can be safely said that it is sustainable because the knowledge and skills imparted
matches the needs of schools in managing the school's development, facilitating teaching and learning processes, and supports
the educational goals at the primary level.

2 Factors Promoting sustainability and impact(1) Factors concerning to Planning
N/A(2) Factors concerning to the implementation Process
The use of the workshop topics requires little input, concepts are easy to understand and implement, and users are willing toutilize the acquired knowledge and skills.

3 Factors inhibiting sustainability and impact(1) Factors concerning to Planning
Emphasis on theory has provided participants little room to practice during the workshops leading to difficulties inimplementation.

(2) Factors concerning to the Implementation Process
Insufficient time during training to absorb and practice lessons
Inadequacy of support, especially in the provision of teaching materials and promoting the use of workshop contents.
Other factors such as too many students per class, lack of classrooms, limited space makes it difficult to use CCM effectively.
Poverty affects attendance which in turn affects the students' school performance.

4 Conclusion
The introduction and implementation of the workshop on primary education and gender has been successfully achieved in
fourteen provinces of Cambodia.

5 Recommendations
More support should be provided to schools, especially in the use of CCM so that teaching and learning processes areimproved thereby helping reduce repetition and dropout rates. This support can be in the form of needed teaching materials,and additional documents about CCM.
A refresher course should be held where integration of CCM all lessons and classes should be demonstrated, without unduly
delaying the completion of a class period.
Study visits or tours among schools should be regularly held to share experiences and insights on how best to use CCM,
management, co-monitoring, and gender issues.
Opportunities to upgrade or update their teaching skills and knowledge should be provided to further motivate teachers andschool officials.
The role of teachers should be expanded beyond the confines of the classroom. They should take on greater responsibility inmonitoring their colleagues' work, and provide opinions, insights, and proposals to further improve the management of theschool.
Parents of pupils must be further educated regarding gender and the value of girls' education. Beyond this, their active
participation in the activities and development of the school must be solicited.

6 Lessons Learned
Reduce theory during workshops; provide sufficient demonstrations, practice and support to integrate what has been learned in
the workplace; Provide flexibility in terms transport and other costs since some participants come from far flung districts which
entail more expenditure

7 Follow up Situation
The materials in Khmer developed through this project have been shared with Japanese NGOs which are active in theCambodian education sector with a view to utilizing such materials.