In Puok District, an hour from Siem Reap, grade 4 teacher Chhern Lisa begins her morning with a smile. Her classroom fills with the sound of chatter as she divides her students into groups.

Today’s science class is hands-on: students are building toy cars from recycled materials – including cardboard, bottle caps and toy wheels – they have brought from home. She asks her students to delegate tasks within their groups and work collaboratively.

Lisa teaches Khmer, math, science and social studies at Athipadei Primary School. She is one of nearly 1,300 primary teachers participating in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport's rollout of the national continuous professional development (CPD) system.

With support from UNESCO through the Strengthening Teacher Education Programmes in Cambodia (STEPCam) and funding of over $27 million from GPE, the system was developed and piloted successfully in 100 schools in Siem Reap province under Phase I (2018–2022).

The national CPD system gives more teachers access to professional development opportunities aligned with their interests and needs.

Now in Phase II (2024–2028), nearly 50 accredited courses are available as the system expands nationwide, including five target provinces – Siem Reap, Kratie, Stung Treng, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear – to ensure more teachers benefit from quality, continuous learning.

Empowering teachers to unlock student potential

For Lisa, making learning fun and interactive has been a guiding principle throughout her 9 years of teaching.

She firmly believes in the lasting influence of teachers on students’ learning and growth within and beyond the classroom. “Teachers do more than pass on knowledge and skills – they also shape the minds and characters of their students,” she says.

In the past, teachers in Cambodia had few opportunities for professional growth. Training programs were short-term, irregular and rarely recognized by the education ministry.

The new national CPD system, supported by STEPCam and GPE, has changed that, introducing a unified and accredited approach to teacher development.

When the system was piloted in Siem Reap in 2021–2022, Lisa was among the first to enroll.

Through the Methodology for Teaching Science for Upper Primary Grades course, she discovered hands-on activities such as the toy car lesson that now makes her classes more engaging and collaborative.

On completing the course, Lisa earned three official CPD credits, now recorded in her ministry staff profile.

For teachers, the new system not only offers opportunities for professional development and lifelong learning, but the credits earned can contribute to career advancement.

Today, Lisa is continuing her learning journey through a course on ICT in education.

Transforming teacher training through technology

Expanding the national CPD system involves offering teachers a wider variety of meaningful, high-quality courses that meet their needs and interests.

Under Phase II, STEPCam is supporting the education ministry to broaden the supply of professional learning opportunities as well as support and selected teacher education institutions to develop blended CPD courses.

Based on a 2024 training needs assessment involving over 1,300 teachers, new accredited courses launched in 2025 now focus on classroom management, ICT skills, science teaching, and child development and learning.

To make learning more accessible, courses combine in-person sessions with online and self-directed components.

To keep the training content relevant and engaging, STEPCam supports course designers at teacher education institutions to meet regularly for joint reflection and content review.

Sopheak explains that materials are compared and analyzed to ensure they are suitable for primary school teachers, with activities and games adapted to their context.

Nurturing lifelong learning: Schools as communities of practice

The collaboration teachers experience through their CPD continues long after the training ends.

Back in their schools, the teachers continue learning from one another, sharing strategies, exchanging ideas and supporting each other’s growth – building communities of practice that sustain continuous learning.

At Athipadei Primary School, Director You Phally recalls that when CPD was first introduced, teachers were hesitant and unsure of its purpose. Over time, there has been an evident change in thinking.

An evaluation of the STEPCam Phase I pilot found that over 70% of teachers recognize the need for CPD and believe that teachers should be lifelong learners.

As a former teacher at Athipadei Primary School, Phally has witnessed the transformation in the school’s culture: “Now teachers are more student-centric, engaging students and making lessons interactive.”

He has also actively supported a collaborative learning environment among teachers.

Teachers who complete CPD courses now share their learning with their peers. “At first, I organized the sharing sessions,” he explains. “Later, teachers became more motivated and even reminded me to organize them.”

This shift extends beyond formal training. “Teachers are more student-centered and interactive,” Phally notes. “They have also become more curious about their professional development. Many are eager to upgrade their qualifications and continue further studies. I am happy to support them in this journey.”

Building the future: Sustaining and institutionalizing CPD

Lifelong learning for teachers relies on strong, sustainable systems.

During STEPCam Phase I, the education ministry and UNESCO laid the foundation for a national CPD system by piloting courses and establishing a management office within the ministry, which was upgraded to a full technical department – the Development of Teachers Department – in 2024 following an organizational reform.

This milestone reflects Cambodia’s commitment to ensuring teachers can access high-quality, needs-based professional development throughout their careers.

With more CPD providers engaged in the system through STEPCam support, teachers now have greater access to diverse, tailored training opportunities.

As of August 2025, 24,078 education professionals are recorded in the national CPD Management Information System, with 10,886 having accumulated between one and six CPD credits.

These achievements signify a major national effort to institutionalize CPD for teachers, reflecting strong collaboration among education stakeholders and a clear commitment to improving teacher growth and student learning across Cambodia.

Over the next two years, STEPCam will support a broader rollout of accredited courses while strengthening mechanisms that respond to teachers’ diverse learning needs.

This includes recognition of prior learning to formally acknowledge teachers’ previous training and experiences, as well as piloting self-directed CPD to provide more flexible, teacher-driven opportunities for professional growth.

The expansion of Cambodia’s CPD system represents an important step toward an inclusive, flexible and sustainable model that empowers every teacher to keep learning and innovating – transforming classrooms into spaces of growth and inspiration for all Cambodian students.