Advancing STEM Education in Cambodia
Summary
​In 2024, MiyaMiya Cambodia committed to launch a mobile-first STEM education initiative targeting approximately 10,000 students across Cambodia through the MiyaMiya digital platform over a two year period. This platform will be integrated into classroom settings, directed independent study, and extracurricular clubs, focusing largely on mathematics and biology education for grades 7 through 12. MiyaMiya will use an Active Learning methodology that emphasizes frequent interactions and immediate feedback to ensure continuous student engagement and comprehension. The pedagogy is based on mastery-based progression, where each lesson builds upon the previous one, requiring students to demonstrate understanding before advancing. The project will encompass curriculum development, platform adaptation, and rollout. Partners will leverage local expertise to maximize impact in specific urban and rural learner segments. This project also supports the goals of Cambodia’s Education Roadmap 2030 aiming to improve STEM learning quality.
Approach
MiyaMiya Cambodia commits to advancing STEM education in Cambodia through a tailored, mobile-first strategy, leveraging the Miya Miya digital platform to reach 10,000 students. Miya Miya’s seeks to ensure students master the national curriculum by offering complementary modes of learning that can be used on a blended or self-learning model, especially in environments where teaching capacity is limited.
Specifically, the Miya Miya’s project will encompass the following elements:
Direct School Integrations: Miya Miya will integrate our platform directly into schools to support classroom instruction, independent learning, focusing on Mathematics and Biology for grades 7–11. These subjects and grade levels are targeted to address the most critical learning phases and areas of need.
Content Development and Delivery: Miya Miya will leverage its extensive experience in digital education technology and regional content development.
Partnerships: Collaborating with local NGOs like Kampuchea Action to Promote Education (KAPE) and Teach For Cambodia (TFC) , Miya Miya will co-create implementation strategies. These partners bring intimate knowledge of the local educational landscape, ensuring our platform’s deployment is culturally relevant and educationally impactful.
Contributions and Expertise:
Digital Education Technology: MiyaMiya provides expertise in developing and scaling digital education solutions.
Content Development: Miya Miya will create educational content aligned with regional standards and adapted to local contexts.
Training and Support: Miya Miya will offer comprehensive teacher training programs and in-school mentors to ensure effective use of the platform.
Partner Contributions:
KAPE and TFC will contribute their understanding of the local education system and cultural context, assist in deploying the platform, and provide ongoing support to schools and educators.
Potential Challenges and Solutions:
Access to Mobile Devices and Internet: Miya Miya will leverage government partnerships for infrastructure support and provide offline and low bandwidth functionality.
Content Adaptation: Adapting content to local languages and contexts will require ongoing iteration and feedback from educators and students.
Educator Training: Training teachers to effectively use the platform is critical. Miya Miya will address this with comprehensive training programs and in-school mentors.
Action Plan
Phase 1: Planning and Design
Duration: 6 weeks
Key Activities:
Conduct baseline study in collaboration with local partners and set KPI’s and Learning Outcome goals.
Outcomes: Baseline data, KPI’s and Learning Outcomes.
Phase 2: Platform Build-Out
Duration: 19 weeks
Key Activities: Innovate and digitize curriculum for Mathematics and Biology in alignment with Cambodian national curriculum. Localize the platform and translate to the language of instruction. Conduct user testing and subsequent optimization.
Outcomes: Localized platform in language of instruction and digitized Math and Biology curriculum for target grades.
Phase 3: Delivery and MEL
Duration: 79 weeks
Key Activities: Roll-out of platforms in eligible New Generation Schools, Teach For Cambodia school network, and select non-formal education centers. Teacher and school leader training and integration led by partners. Monitor user metrics and provide in-time support.
Outcomes: Implementation planning and execution. Training delivered to target populations. MEL data collection.
Phase 4: Impact Reporting and Scale-Up Planning
Duration: 9 weeks
Key Activities: Periodic evaluation of program success according to KPI’s and integration of program data into EMIS for future interventions. Planning of scaleup, in collaboration with partners and MOE with the option of mainstreaming into curriculum.
Outcomes: EMIS integration. Published impact data. Promotion with stakeholders. Scale-up plan in place
Background
Miya Miya Cambodia’s initiative targets critical challenges in STEM education within Cambodia. The country faces significant proficiency gaps, with only 12% of Cambodian students reaching at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics, compared to an OECD average of 69%. In the 2019 National Leaving Examination for Grade 12, approximately 40% of students failed Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology. Despite slight improvements by 2022, these high failure rates underscore the urgent need for better STEM education, especially at the secondary level where foundational STEM skills are developed.
Moreover, Cambodia’s educational system suffers from a high dropout rate, with only 10% of children who begin primary education expected to complete high school. These systemic barriers hinder students’ progress and highlight the necessity for innovative solutions to enhance educational retention and success.
By circumventing the need for substantial physical infrastructure investments, Miya Miya’s mobile-first approach makes STEM education more accessible. Additionally, Miya Miya’s content is designed to appeal to all students, with tailored strategies to support female students, addressing gender disparities in STEM education. Currently, female participation in STEM is at a low 16.7%. Our initiative aims to significantly increase this percentage by fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment for female students.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
To scale their commitment, MiyaMiya is actively seeking the following:
Financial Resources: they are in pursuit of additional grants and connections to potential donors that can support the financial demands of scaling our initiative.
Implementing Partners: We are looking for partners to provide infrastructure support to make the rollout of their programs even more effective and impactful, such as in-kind resourcing of devices, routers for connectivity, data packages.
Media Support: they would like to enhance visibility of our work to support future scaling efforts., Best Practice: Pedago provide a model of proven strategies and methodologies in mobile-first educational technology, refined through our work in various international contexts.
Financial Resources: Through strategic partnerships and grants, they facilitate financial support aimed at scaling and adapting educational technologies. Moreover, we are leveraging resources from our for-profit business Quantic for this initiative too.
Implementing Partners: they bring a network of on-the-ground partners, including KAPE and Teach For Cambodia, who have extensive experience in local school systems and direct classroom implementation.
Topic Expertise: their team offers specialized knowledge in creating and deploying STEM education content that is culturally and contextually appropriate for diverse educational settings.