Sub-National Administrations Will Manage Parts of the Education Sector by 2024
- By Lay Sopheavotey
- August 6, 2023 8:51 AM
PHNOM PENH — The management responsibilities for early-childhood education, primary and non-formal education will be transferred to the sub-national administrators in 2024.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport will assign those management tasks to the education administrators at the municipal, commune, and district levels, according to the sub-decree on the transfer of function in the education, youth, and sport sector to the municipal, district, and khan administrations.
Signed on July 28 by Prime Minister Hun Sen, the sub-decree, which consists of eight chapters and 31 articles, states that the government aims to improve the management system for education services including accountability, transparency as well as the learning environment.
Prior to issuing the sub-decree, the authorities conducted a pilot project in 14 districts of Battambang province. Due to the success obtained, the government is launching a nationwide reform.
At the same time, the government will continue to handle three administrative support functions: administrative support to public secondary schools, administrative support to youth development, and administrative support to physical education and sports.
City, district and khan administrations that have the authority to perform the above functions will receive their budgets directly from the Ministry of Economy. They will also prepare their own annual budget plans.
The National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development Secretariat will act as coordinator to determine the amount of financial resources spent, financial conditions, technical conditions, and other conditions.
The education staff transferred to the municipal, district, and khan administration levels will have to benefit from the same working conditions, salaries, and other allowances as they had at their previous offices.
According to Article 3 and Article 4 of the sub-decree, municipal, district and khan administrations will start their education management functions on Jan. 1, 2024.
