I. Background
Cambodia has made impressive gains in education in the last decade. It has successfully expanded primary education access over the past few years with an average rate of 95 percent. Dropout rates, particularly from Grades 7 – 9, however, remain high with a graduation rate of only 45 percent at the lower secondary level. Adult illiteracy is also a persistent issue: the overall literacy rate for adults is 82.5 percent and it is estimated that 7.8 percent of people who are aged 15 to 24 are illiterate. The literacy rate for women is lower at 71.8 percent than for men at 84.8 percent.[1]
In accordance with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Ministry of Education Youth and Sport’s (MoEYS) Education Strategic Plan (2019-2024) priority policies, UNESCO through its Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP) and Factory Literacy Programme (FLP) has been working to provide lifelong learning opportunities for Cambodia’s most marginalized populations under the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY Phase II) programme.
DEY is a joint programme of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations in Cambodia. With the support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and other donors, DEY Phase II aims to support young women and men in Cambodia to increasingly obtain decent and productive employment opportunities.
BEEP is a collaborative initiative between MoEYS, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) and UNESCO that aims to expand access to basic education for youth. It is an online program that was launched in August 2018 with the financial support of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and contributions from UNESCO, MoEYS, MoLVT and Smart Axiata to help young Cambodians aged 14 and older who dropped out after completing their primary education to achieve Grade 9 equivalency.
Students who complete BEEP can continue their study at technical high schools, or technical and vocational education institutions to gain new skills to build a better career in the future. There is no fee for accessing the program. Students who do not have a personal smartphone or computer can come to any BEEP learning centers to use computers or tablets there.
To address adult illiteracy among marginalized populations, UNESCO has been supporting MoEYS implement a targeted literacy initiative for workers in factories, the Factory Literacy Programme. A 2013 report on Women and Migration in Cambodia by the Ministry of Planning showed that 85 percent of the 605,000 workers in garment and footwear factories were women, of which 14 percent did not have basic literacy skills, and 29 percent demonstrated low levels of literacy.[2] FLP provides a literacy package especially targeted towards these women. It equips learners with functional literacy and life skills to help them cope with the day-to-day challenges of urban life. Learners who pass the course’s final exam are provided a certificate of literacy completion by their respective Provincial Office of Education, Youth and Sport (PoEYS) that is recognized by MoEYS as equivalent to Grade 4 of formal education. Learners can continue their education from Grade 4 onwards, at both non-formal and formal education institutions, using the certificate as a reference. UNESCO has been working with the Department of Non-Formal Education to update the non-formal literacy framework, syllabus and textbook to make it competency-based and better align it with changes in the formal education framework. From 2021 onwards, all literacy learners will be able to get a Grade 6 equivalency (up from Grade 4) upon completion of the updated syllabus and exam.
Both programmes are directly in line with the National Policy on Non-Formal Education developed in 2002 to promote literacy and continue education by establishing links between credit, employment and vocational skill; and the National Policy on Lifelong Learning rolled out in 2018 to support all people gain skills and use knowledge to maximize effectiveness, quality, job productivity and income in a knowledge-based society.
To support MoEYS’s efforts in eliminating illiteracy through the FLP by encouraging more factories to run this programme, and to conduct promotional activities to attract students to the BEEP classes to be rolled out for 2020-2023, UNESCO aims to recruit young interns to help document the progess of the programme and effectively communicate its achievements and benefits to the relevant stakeholders.
II. Objectives
This intership program is designed for Cambodian nationals that seek to gain professional experience in the field of education at UNESCO. During the assignment, selected interns will gain practical knowledge on how to implement lifelong learning programs in collaboration with MoEYS and development partners in Cambodia. They will also have an opportunity to share and apply their knowledge and skills during the assignment and play an active decision-making role in a cross-cultural team. Throughout the assignment, the education team will provide continuous mentoring and support to the interns to help them grow as dynamic education professionals.
III. Work Assignment
Under the overall authority of the Head of Office, the guidance of the Chief of Education and the direct supervision of the National Program Officers for the Decent Employment for Youth (DEY Phase II) in Cambodia programme, the intern shall support the BEEP and FLP sub-components with the following activities:
- Provide assistance with implementation of project activities, including coordinating with relevant partners, updating project work plans, organizing workshops, conferences and consultative meetings, preparing meeting notes, and supporting with follow-up activities.
- Provide assistance with knowledge management and Monitoring and Evauation (M&E) activities, including monitoring project data, maintaining M&E worksheets, database management, and supporting preparation of progress reports.
- Provide assistance with communication and visibility activities for the projects, including drafting website articles, blogs and press releases; managing social media platforms including BEEP and FLP Facebook pages; taking photographs and videos; developing and translating social media captions; and maintaining communications and visibility tracker.
- Conduct research and compile evidence on international best practices, policy frameworks and implementation guidelines and international trends on alternative education for marginalized learners.
- Perform any additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the project team, the Chief of Education Unit or UNESCO Country Representative.
IV. The selection criteria
How to Apply
The interns will be recruited through universities, organizations and other relevant institutions in Cambodia. If they are interested in the program, they can apply directly by sending a statement of interest and resume to phnompenh@unesco.org by 21 February 2021.
Qualifications/Requirements:
You can apply if:
- You have completed your full-time university studies (bachelor's degree or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; or
- You are enrolled in a graduate programme (second university degree or Master's degree or equivalent, or higher), at the time of application; or
- You have recently graduated with a university degree (first or second degree as defined above), within the last 12 months.
Language: Excellent written and spoken English and Khmer.
Required Skills: Knowledge and experience with event planning and coordination, and communications and outreach, and research and reporting. The application must be well-versed with social media and have demonstrated experience with a variety of Web 2.0 tools, such as Google suite, Facebook and others.
Competencies:
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a cross-cultural work environment.
- Excellent IT skills and demonstrated experience in
- Strong ability to multi-task and work under tight deadlines.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken in Khmer and English.
Duration of Assignment and Start-Date
The Intern is expected to start work with UNESCO for at least 6 months starting from 1 March 2021 depending on their own flexible schedule, as mutually agreed with the project team.
UNESCO does not remunerate interns. There is no compensation, financial or otherwise for internship assignments.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.