Educational policy-makers, planners, administrators and practitioners have long held the opinion that the literacy is a prerequisite for individual as well as the society. The world data on life expectancy, infant mortality and gross national product (GNP) bear this out. This paper is aiming at addressing reality of and recommending on how to improve the situation of the low literacy rate in Cambodia.

After 30 years of war and civil unrest, which decimated Cambodian population and destroyed the country's infrastructure, including the education system, the Cambodia has low levels of literacy and high levels of poverty. With a GNP of only US$ 285 per person, Cambodia is one of the least developed countries in the region. It is estimated that 38 percent of the country's households live under the poverty line. According to the 1999 Human Development Report put out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Cambodia ranks 137 out of 174 countries in terms of its human development. Cambodians, on average, only attend school for three and half years. Government budgets for education are signif

Ø Two thirds of total illiterates were aged 15 to 45 years, with little variation by gender.

1. The completely illiterate 36 percent of the total number of respondents, or 24.7 percent of the males and 45.1 percent of the females scored zero points on literacy assessment and can be considered totally illiterate.

On the basic of test scores, respondents were classified into three categories of literacy:

3. Self-learning literates 24.7 percent literate respondents could study independently and were able to read all kinds of materials, search for new knowledge and apply it to improving their lives and their communities

ential knowledge and skills in reading, writing, arithmetic and problem-solving to function effectively in all areas of their lives and contribute to their communities.

6. Within 15 years, beginning from 2000, commit sufficient funds and other resources to literacy in the second five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2001-2005). The goal of this should be to increase the adult literacy rate (semi-literate and illiterate combined) from the current level of 63.7 percent (according to this 1999 study) to at least 80 percent by 2005, and 98 percent by 2015.

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Approximate Word count = 1700
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)