Under USAID’s grant of USD 7 million dollars, in partnership with MoEYS and RTI, the project is delivered across all 24 provinces and municipalities. USAID’ goals , have the following Program Components:

CBE Phase I (2004-2006):
Strengthening Curriculum Development: - Increased Relevance of the Basic Education Curriculum to Everyday Life.

Gender :This strategy has three components: (1) girls’ equal access to education, (2) enhancing gender equity in education management and delivery of services, and (3) strengthening gender technical capacity in education programming and policy making. These included three strands of capacity building within the PRD (Pedagogic Research Department (PRD) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport):

Leadership, management, policy development, and implementation capacity Core/formal curriculum development (including development of basic standards). Basic standards are statements that describe the minimum acceptable level of learning at particular stages of schooling.

Local/elective life skills curriculum development.

1. Generic life skills are the skills, attitudes, and knowledge that every child needs to develop. These are the formally taught but practical understanding and abilities in the areas of literacy and numeracy, basic science, health, moral education, and civic knowledge and behaviors. They should be taught in an active, child-centred way in all schools.
2. A local/elective life skills program can provide a more practical application of pre-vocational skills (such as pest management, fish farming, sewing and garment design, economics, tourism, etc.) as well as skills and knowledge related to the local environment that have particular relevance for students in specific areas.

Pre-service and In-service Teacher Training

1. Information about the new curriculum with its two elements and the focus on life skills and student-centeredness.
2. Increased responsibility of the school and community for curriculum and training.
3. Introduction of new, competency-based minimum standards related, planned training programs mechanisms to encourage dialogue and feedback from parents and communities on curriculum relevance and teaching effectiveness

CBE Phase II (2006-2007)

In partnership with MoEYS and RTI, CSCS is managing and implementing the Local Life Skills Programs (LLSPs) component. In the eight most under-served provinces (Koh Kong, Pailin, Oddor Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Rattanakiri), a team composed of three Regional Managers and twelve Community Trainers (CTs), under the direct supervision of the School-Community Development Specialist and the Community Training Manager, is helping 288 schools/communities implement LLSPs.

8,168 students, 55% of whom are female, were directly involved in our LLSPs. More than 20 different topics (sewing and embroidery, vegetable growing, animal raising, bicycle and motorbike repair, hairdressing, traditional dances, sport, etc.) were chosen by the schools-communities themselves to match the local needs, specificities and available resources, taking into account the amount of the grants distributed and contribution from the community.

The goal of the LLSPs is to increase quality and relevance of education as well as the level of participation of the community in the everyday life of schools. LLSPs also contribute to the reduction of the number of school drop-outs by increasing the active participation of students and parents in concrete and popular activities. In close cooperation with the Pedagological Research Department (PRD) of MoEYS, CSCS has developed a training and learning process of 15 points aiming at equipping students with essential life skills (Research & Presentation Skills; Communication Skills; Planning and Organization Skills, Pre-Vocational Skills, Problem Identification and Solving Skills; Working in Groups, to express themselves, to be responsible; Self-Esteem). Respects towards teachers, parents and classmates, good manners, hygiene, environment care were also fully part of the LLSP learning and teaching processes. These life skills will be very useful in their future once they leave school to start making their own living. The purposes are to teach the students to do things by themselves instead of executing tasks as instructed or ordered by their teachers. Through the LLSPs, we apply the student-centered methodology.

In the same program, community and school representatives learn to prepare technical and financial proposals and receive capacity building on good governance and project management.

The beneficiaries of the project as below:

• 8,168 (4,469 female) students
• 1,673 (1,673L female) LSP committee members
• 417 ( 117 female) life skill teachers and trainers
• 32(2 female) Provincial Office of Education staff
• 56 (3 female) District Office of Education staff.