Evaluation of the Multilingual Education National Action Plan in Cambodia - Unicef
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Evaluation of the Multilingual Education
National Action Plan in Cambodia
May 12019
Introduction
Presentation Outline
• Background: The Multilingual Education National Action Plan
(MENAP)
• Evaluation Purpose, Scope, and Objectives
• Evaluation Approach and Methodology
• Key Evaluation Findings
• Key Conclusions and Lessons Learned
• Recommendations
2
Background
The Multilingual Education National Action Plan
(MENAP):
• Royal Government of Cambodia initiative to promote ethnic minority
children’s inclusion in quality education
• Unprecedented in Southeast Asia
• Five languages: Brao, Kavet, Kreung, Tampuan, Bunong (about
102,000 speakers in Cambodia)
• Institutionalizes multilingual education (MLE), building on systems
established by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere
(CARE) since 2002
• Supported by government objectives for education overall,
international rights frameworks, and sustainable development goals
3
Background
MENAP Objectives and Strategies
Four objectives: Six main strategies:
1. Ensure Indigenous boys and girls 1. Capacity building, in particular
have inclusive access to quality and teachers and teacher training
relevant education 2. Provide teaching-learning materials
2. Build the capacity of national and 3. Coordination, data and information,
sub-national education officials to monitoring and evaluation
manage and monitor MLE 4. Expansion of MLE delivery
implementation
5. Infrastructure and resourcing
3. Scale-up MLE provision in relevant (ensure sufficiency)
provinces
6. Conversion of community schools
4. Promote demand for quality MLE to state schools
amongst School Support Committees,
parents and local authorities
4
Background
Transition from Mother Tongue to Khmer from age 3 through
Grade 3 in MENAP schools
Mother tongue Khmer
3-4 year olds and 1st
half of year for 5 year This chart shows the gradual
olds transition from instruction in
5 year olds (2nd the Mother Tongue 100 per
half of year) cent of the time for 3-4 year
olds to approximately 30 per
Primary Grade 1 cent of the time in Grade 3,
with full instruction in Khmer in
Primary Grade 2 Grade 4, as per the ‘short-exit’
bridge model that the MENAP
Primary Grade 3 currently uses.
0 25 50 75 100
Language use as a percentage
5
Background
Transition from development partners to
government ownership
2015-2016: CARE supported capacity of Primary Education and Early
Childhood Education Departments to take responsibility for
implementing the Plan
Late 2016: MoEYS created a new Special Education Department and
responsibility shifted to a new six member team, along with Provincial
Offices of Education in five provinces: Kratie, Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear,
Ratanakiri, Stung Treng
Preah Vihear has not yet decided to implement in primary schools and
has just created six multilingual education preschools
6
Evaluation Purpose and Scope
Purpose: Assess how well the MENAP has been
implemented to inform its future strategic direction
Scope: Four provinces where
the MENAP has been
implemented in preschools and
primary schools for at least one
year, including Ratanakiri,
Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, and
Kratie. The evaluation covers
the period from 2015-2018.
7
Evaluation Objectives
Objectives:
1. Assess the extent to which the MENAP has achieved its
objectives and to identify enabling factors, barriers and
bottlenecks
2. Review and validate strategies and activities implemented to
strengthen multilingual education and retrospectively deduce a
theory of change for the MENAP
3. Assess national and sub-national support for implementing the
MENAP including support by UNICEF and others
4. Document lessons learned that can inform a new five-year Plan
and Education Strategic Plan
8
Evaluation Plan
Timeline:
July 16 July Kick-off meeting
August 6-8 August Piloting of tools
9 August Presentation of Inception Report to
Reference Group
10-18 August Field Data Collection (I)
September 11 September - 7 October Field Data Collection (II)
27 September Presentation of Preliminary Findings
Report to the Reference Group
December 4 December Presentation of Final Report to the
Reference Group
9
Evaluation Approach and
Methodology
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Inception Phase Data Collection Analysis and
Reporting
• Desk review of • Multistakeholder workshop • Final Discovery
documents • Prepare and pilot tools workshop
• Finalise methodology • Field based data collection • Collate, analyse and
and sampling • Outcome Harvesting triangulate data
• Reference Group workshops • Reference Group
Meeting • Reference Group Meeting Meeting
• Prepare report
Highlights of the approach:
• A mixed-methods, rights-based, iterative approach, engaging key participants including
Indigenous people as rights holders through all three phases
• Priority on participation by Indigenous children as rights holders and agents of change
• Participatory analysis, synthesis, validation, and sense-making by rights holders and
duty bearers in four provinces and at national level
10Evaluation Approach and
Methodology
Evaluation sampling locations:
• 11 MLE preschools
• 24 MLE primary schools
• 4 non-MLE schools
• 14 districts
Maps derived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wifi/File:Cambodia_location_map.syg
(basemap) by NordNordWest with commune data from Open Development Cambodia:
https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/dataset/ ?id=administrative-boundaries-of-
cambodia-2014 (Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-4.0).
11Evaluation Approach and
Methodology
Secondary
data
Over 100 documents and sources of
secondary data reviewed, including:
• Planning, policy and evaluation
documents
• International experiences of
multilingual education and
language-in-education policies
• Costing data
• Quantitative education management
data
12Evaluation Approach and
Methodology
• 84 focus group discussions
including 6 Outcome
Focus group Harvesting Workshops
discussions • Total: 764 participants (342
female; 45%)
• Majority rights holders and
local duty bearers
Participation in Focus Group Discussions
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Samorn Lamy
13Evaluation Approach and
Methodology
• Total: 41 participants, (14
Key female, 34%)
informant • Majority duty bearers and
interviews development partners
• Total: 122 participants
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith (57 female, 47%)
Surveys
• Mix of duty bearers and
rights holders
Observations in total of 28
primary school and 11
Direct
observations
preschool locations,
interactions in focus group
discussions and workshops
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Samorn Lamy
14Findings, Conclusions and
Recommendations
Equity,
Gender
Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency Sustainability Impact and
Human
Rights
15Key Evaluation Findings
Finding 1: Children,
Relevance community members and
local authorities strongly
agree that multilingual
education has produced
more engagement in school
and meaningful learning
Finding 2: The curriculum
may be out-dated, too easy
and needing enriched cultural
content that Indigenous
children, parents and groups
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
are willing to provide
16Key Evaluation Findings
Relevance
Finding 3: Primary
rights holders and some
sub-national duty
bearers see justification
for extending
multilingual education to
Grade 6, on a small-
scale, pilot basis Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
17Key Evaluation Findings
Finding 1: Targets have been met in
terms of quantity of provision.
Effectiveness
Improved quality is now a priority.
Finding 2: Multilingual education
preschools have not yet shown their
potential. Dependence on commune-
level funds and lack of systematic
connection to primary schools are
barriers to effectiveness in three of
four provinces. A new Prakas (no.
245) offers a framework to improve
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
quality and convert preschools to
state schools, co-located with primary
schools.
18Key Evaluation Findings
Quantitative data: Targeted vs. actual
Effectiveness enrolment in MLE primary schools during
the MENAP period
5000
2015-2018 Target Enrolment
Actual Enrolment 2018 - CARE Data
4000 Actual Enrolment 2018 - SED Data
3919
3000 3278
3056
2000
1000 1124 1252 1198 1178 1151
1027 914 897 897
0
Ratanakiri Mondulkiri Kratie Stung Treng
19Key Evaluation Findings
Quantitative data: Changes in enrolment
Effectiveness per province from 2015
Kratie: MLE Enrolment Kratie: non-MLE Provincial Enrolment
Mondulkiri: MLE Enrolment Mondulkiri: non-MLE Provincial Enrolment
Ratanakiri: MLE Enrolment Ratanakiri: non-MLE Provincial Enrolment
300% Stung Treng: MLE Enrolment Stung Treng: non-MLE Provincial Enrolment
250%
Per cent Change
200%
150%
100%
50%
2015 2016 2017 2018
20Key Evaluation Findings
Finding 1: All sub-national duty bearers have been
mobilized towards provision of multilingual education in
Efficiency
primary schools serving at least 60 per cent Indigenous
children
Finding 2: Operational costs are not much more than
non-multilingual education schools, but there are
shortfalls in dedicated funding for language-specific
teacher training, monitoring, and resources to promote
literacy in Indigenous languages
Finding 3: The provincial teacher training colleges
have potential that has not yet been harnessed to
achieve the goal of expanding access to quality
education in both Indigenous and Khmer languages
21Key Evaluation Findings
Finding 4: Sub-national
Efficiency education units have the
motivation and organizational
capacity to deliver training,
monitoring and support for
multilingual education if provided
with sufficient financial and
technical support at the national
level
Finding 5: Duty bearers do not
appear to be operating within a
fully costed implementation plan
22Key Evaluation Findings
Costing of the Funds for MLE
Efficiency MENAP MoEYS Special Education
Department: approximately US
$20,988*
UNICEF: US $748,609
UNICEF Spending 2016-2018 for MENAP CARE: US $672,776**
35%
*Please note this includes SED’s programme budget only for 2018.
**CARE made substantial investments in research and development
of training and education curricula over the decade prior to MENAP
that is not included here.
1% Teacher Trainings
3%
Scholarships for Indigenous Students
5%
Monitoring
Capacity Development to Officials at Sub-National
10% 35%
Incentives for MLE Teachers
Partnering with NGOs
11%
Revise MENAP
23Key Evaluation Findings
Impact Finding 1: Multilingual
education has provided
meaningful education to
Indigenous children with the
result that primary rights
holders have increased
their participation
Finding 2: Indigenous
adults are now seeking
support to become literate
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Samorn Lamy in their language
24Key Evaluation Findings
Impact
Finding 3: Low
attendance during
planting and harvesting
seasons calls for
innovative responses:
flexibility by education Photo Credit © 2003 Philip Smith
authorities to allow piloting
of decentralized calendars
could be considered
25Key Evaluation Findings
Finding 1: Demand for multilingual primary school
Sustainability education appears to exceed the supply of qualified
Indigenous teachers and core trainers, while provincial
teacher training centres have not yet been engaged.
Finding 2: The Special Education Department needs to
increase technical capacity, Indigenous language capacity,
leadership and advocacy.
Finding 3: The view of some duty bearers that multilingual
education is a short-term strategy only intended as a
‘bridge’ of minority children into the Khmer mainstream
poses a risk to sustainability.Key Evaluation Findings
Equity,
Gender
and Finding 1: Multilingual education works
Human towards fulfilling Indigenous children’s
Rights
rights to meaningful education, and
provides employment and roles in
communities for Indigenous women
Finding 2: Girls show slightly more
participation in multilingual education,
mirroring the national trend
Finding 3: Girls are reportedly more
active participants in classroom activities
when they can understand and relate to
the teacher
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
27Key Conclusions
Indigenous girls and boys have increased access to
education in a language they can understand, teachers
Relevance
they can relate to, and curriculum that resonates with their
cultures
Key lessons learned:
Indigenous teachers
and culturally
appropriate curriculum
are fundamental to
primary rights holders’
uptake and
satisfaction
Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
28Key Conclusions
The national and sub-national education system can
Effectiveness expand delivery of multilingual education, though
ensuring quality requires strategies that were not well
delineated in the inaugural MENAP. A system for
costing data capture and standardized reporting needs
to be established by the unit responsible for
implementation.
Key lessons learned: Sub-national duty bearers and Indigenous teachers
are strongly motivated to expand access of multilingual education to more
children and language communities but this depends on sufficient financial
support for more Indigenous engagement, including Indigenous core trainers,
teachers and involvement of Indigenous organizations
29Key Conclusions
Sub-national education
Efficiency units have the motivation
and organizational
capacity to deliver
training, monitoring and
support for multilingual
education if provided with
sufficient financial and
technical support
Key lessons learned: Financial and
technical support must be sufficient for
sub-national units to implement strategies
and activities Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
30Key Conclusions
Sustainability depends upon visible leadership and capable
management at the national level, increased support for sub-
Sustainability
national units to ensure that increasing quantity of provision
does not outpace improvements in quality . Sustained
commitment by duty bearers and the public depends on
raising awareness of the potential of multilingual education
to promote social harmony as well as inclusion in education.
Key lessons learned: Separating multilingual education from the mainstream
education departments in the Government is an innovative approach that
needs to show proven success over the next five years. Securing the future
for Indigenous languages in education depends upon clearly communicated
government commitment to ethnic minority children’s rights to meaningful
education and to minority languages as national treasures and avenues for
social harmony.
31Key Conclusions
Clear messages of government support for ethnic
minority languages in education through a clearly
Impact communicated plan, engagement with Indigenous
organizations, and media campaigns strongly
encourages ethnic minority parents and children to
value schooling
Key lessons learned: Ethnic minority languages in education increases
inclusion in education, opportunities for some Khmer children to become
bilingual, social harmony in communities, and retention of languages and
cultures. Non-government organizations can help the government respond
to demand for adult literacy in Indigenous languages.
32Actor-Focused Theory of Change
33Recommendations
Recom m endations are listed in order of priority based on findings and
conclusions
Primary Actors: Ministry of
Education Youth and Sport
(MoEYS) with support of
Development Partners, working
in collaboration with national
and sub-national duty bearers,
research institutions, local
authorities, non-government
organizations and primary rights
holders including Indigenous Photo Credit © UNICEF Cambodia/2018/Mariam Smith
organizations, children and
parents
34Recommendations
Renew the Multilingual Education National Action Plan (2019-2023): A new,
costed Multilingual Education National Action Plan (2019–2023) should be
1 created, which includes more Indigenous languages of instruction. Possible
innovations to explore include alternative calendars, a pilot demonstration of
multilingual education from Grades 1 to 6, scholarships for Indigenous student
participation in teacher training, and support for adult literacy in Indigenous
languages .
Strengthen MoEYS capacity, systems and institutions: The Special Education
Department needs adequate financial and technical resources to carry out its role
as the lead implementer of the new plan. A costed plan is needed to ensure
2 timely monitoring and evaluation using specific outcome level indicators. A
structure should be created for inter-departmental collaboration with senior
government leadership to ensure resource-sharing and collaborative support for
the role of the Special Education Department.
35Recommendations
Enhance multilingual education preschool quality and harmonization:
Improvements should be made to the quality of multilingual education
community preschools to ensure that they meet criteria under Sub-Decree
3 No. 245: to be annexed to multilingual education primary schools and then
converted to multilingual education state preschools. This will result in
enhanced financial resources for operations and much-needed salary
adjustments for teachers, with expected positive impacts on teacher
retention, attendance and engagement.
Increase the quantity, quality and retention of multilingual education primary
schools teachers and Indigenous core trainers: Current multilingual education
teachers should receive in-service training to upgrade their education,
4 increase their literacy in the Indigenous language, and improve their
commitment to the graduated, bilingual model. The 30-day training module
created by CARE should be institutionalized in pre-service training for
Indigenous teacher trainees at provincial teacher training colleges.
36Recommendations
Review and renew multilingual education curricula and resources: The
curriculum for multilingual education should be reviewed, updated and
5 expanded with more culturally based content. Development partner
support will enable local and Indigenous community groups to participate
in ensuring the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the curriculum.
Raise awareness about child rights and the social value of the Multilingual
Education National Action Plan: Awareness raising strategies must
promote a system-wide deepening of understanding of the purpose and
6 potential of multilingual education as a strategy to increase participation in
public education and to embrace diversity, protect Cambodia’s cultural
resources, and promote social harmony.
37Recommendations
Improve education information management systems: Education
management information systems should be improved, including
disaggregation of student and teacher gender and ethnicity, and language
of instruction in multilingual preschools and primary schools. The Ministry
of Education, Youth and Sport should establish a system of tracking
7 movement of data from source to reporting. Counts should be evaluated
against relevant denominators. This would enable estimates on the reach
of services into priority populations, and allow comparisons to be made so
that equity issues can be examined. School cluster leaders and District
Offices of Education should be equipped with tools for electronic data
capture and standardized reporting.
Develop partnerships between local and international universities: A costed
research and development plan should enable partnerships between
education research centres locally and internationally. These should
8 support evidence-based decision making about policies, strategies and
learning assessment methods to fulfil ethnic minority children’s rights to
meaningful education and to share lessons learned with stakeholders in
Cambodia and globally.
38Thank you!
Evaluation Team
Team Leaders:
Dr. Jessica Ball (fljball@gmail.com)
Ms. Mariam Smith (mariam@learningloop.co)
Cambodian team:
Mr. Srom Bunthy Mr. Thuk Bun
Mr. Samorn Lamy Mr. Chuen Kham Phin
Ms. Pleuk Phearom Mr. Chab A
Ms. Srey Mao Ms. Pim Kheav
Ms. Kao Nom
For more information, including the full report, please visit
https://www.unicef.org/cambodia
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