History and Revolution of Education System in Cambodia: Before 1963 and from 1963 to 1979

Abstract

This paper explores the history and revolution of the Cambodian education system before 1963 and from 1963 to 1979, highlighting major transitions shaped by political, social, and ideological influences. Before 1963, Cambodia’s education was largely influenced by traditional Buddhist teachings and French colonial models, focusing on limited access and elite formation. The period from 1963 to 1970 marked an expansion of national education policies under Prince Norodom Sihanouk, emphasizing Khmer identity, cultural preservation, and wider access to schooling. From 1970 to 1975, during the Lon Nol regime, the system faced instability, declining quality, and politicization of curricula. The most drastic transformation occurred under the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979), when formal education was dismantled, intellectuals targeted, and knowledge transmission confined to agrarian ideology and labor. By tracing these shifts, the study underscores how Cambodia’s education system reflected broader socio-political dynamics and reveals the enduring consequences of historical upheavals on the nation’s educational development.