PM Hun Manet Emphasizes Education Reform and Digitalization to Transform Economic Structure

Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia, speaking at the graduation ceremony for 4,001 students of the Royal University of Law and Economics on the morning of August 6, 2026, at the Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh, stated that under nearly 28 years of complete peace across the country, Cambodia has achieved countless brilliant accomplishments and is continuing to forge new achievements. He emphasized the need to adapt to the rapidly changing trends in politics, society, economy, science and technology, public health, and climate change. The Prime Minister highlighted the 'Pentagonal Strategy,' a long-term national socio-economic development strategy, which prioritizes 'human beings' as its first focus and 'technology' as its second. This strategy aims to transform Cambodia's economic structure from one dependent on labor to one reliant on skills and technology. Within the human capital development framework, the government is enhancing the quality of education and vocational training, developing both hard and soft skills, and nurturing a workforce that can better respond to the evolving economic landscape, labor market demands, and digital technologies. Simultaneously, efforts are underway to improve working conditions in both the public and private sectors through institutional reform, enhanced governance, and adjustments to incentive systems. In the realm of digital technology development, the Cambodian government is promoting the development of an efficient, secure, integrated, collaborative, and innovative digital technology ecosystem through policies such as the 'Digital Economy and Society Policy of Cambodia 2021-2035' and the 'Digital Government Policy of Cambodia 2022-2035.' These initiatives are designed to respond to the advancements of Industry 4.0, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). To foster quality, efficiency, equity, and innovation in Cambodia's education sector, the Prime Minister issued several recommendations to the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport: First, continue to promote digital education in the context of Industry 4.0. This includes improving digital platforms, creating video tutorials for core subjects, integrating digital technology into learning and teaching, developing digital infrastructure in schools, and establishing digital education programs that meet market demands and socio-economic development in response to technological revolutions and global shifts. Second, continue to pay high attention to human capital development to better meet the increasing competition in the labor market and socio-economic development. This is crucial in an era of competition across all aspects—geopolitical, political, economic, and commercial—as well as the rapid growth of technology and the shift towards technology-driven global paradigms. The primary goal is to enhance resilience and build a robust digital economy and society. Third, continue to promote digital education to contribute to building digital citizens and enhancing students' digital capabilities. This aims to improve the effectiveness of digital learning and teaching, promote student self-study, and strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to develop digital infrastructure in schools. This will boost online training, leading to sustainable and inclusive education, and encourage lifelong learning and research. Fourth, continue to improve the quality of education, starting with enhancing the quality of teachers and school principals. This should focus on teaching methods, curricula, and equipment that align with the vision of 21st-century Cambodian education. Concurrently, efforts should continue to improve infrastructure and the learning environment, particularly by establishing modern, technology-driven libraries with adequate resources for study and research in both public and private educational institutions. In parallel, university leaders, professors, and academic staff must continue to play a leading role as consultants, mentors, researchers, and innovators, constantly striving to improve their knowledge, skills, teaching methodologies, and digital technology utilization to enhance teaching effectiveness.