“Register and complete grade 9 anytime and anywhere with BEEP”, a compelling invitation in bolded letters awaits a mere tap on the homepage of the Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP) website. Since 2018, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), and UNESCO launched BEEP as a flagship programme to provide out-of-school youth with basic education equivalency and skills development opportunities. Through a flexible mobile learning modality, BEEP allows learners to complete basic education through free online-based courses, bridging them to further educational and employment opportunities.
Since the establishment of the first learning centre in 2019, BEEP is now operating 31 learning centres in 18 provinces across Cambodia. Today, BEEP has benefitted over 2,300 young Cambodian women and men. UNESCO met with two BEEP learners – Rochom and Sovanvortei – as they voiced their dreams and how BEEP unlocks the doors to their future aspirations.
Meet Rochom – “I thought there was no opportunity for me to go back to school, but BEEP presents this opportunity to realise my dreams.”
Born and raised in a village in Ratanakiri Province, Rochom opted to leave formal education at grade 7 to help his mother on the farms. After dropping out, seeking employment became a challenge due to his qualifications, which fuelled Rochom’s determination to continue his education. With the support from National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NIEI), a BEEP learning centre in Phnom Penh, he enrolled in BEEP and moved to Phnom Penh.
After dropping out, I applied to many jobs, but I got accepted for none. As I grow older, I felt more hopeless to go back to school…and BEEP gives me this opportunity to continue my dream.
After completing BEEP, Rochom enrolled and graduated in a C1 (Technical and Vocational Certificate 1) programme on electricity and cooling systems at a TVET centre in Phnom Penh. Currently, he applies his expertise as an AC technician in a private company in Phnom Penh, a testament to his dedication and the skills acquired through his educational journey.
Reflecting on his BEEP experiences, Rocham appreciated the flexibility and practicality of the programme, citing how it solidified the groundwork for his subsequent journey in his C1 coursework.
I enjoyed the physics course from BEEP – it helped to build up the foundations in my C1 course in electricity and cooling systems. I normally spend the morning in my room studying the BEEP courses and doing another short course in the afternoon. I like the flexibility to learn anywhere and anytime.
Embracing the next phase of his educational journey, Rocham is now enrolled in an advanced TVET C2 (Technical and Vocational Certificate 2) programme, set to start in 2024. His aspirations shine brightly as he envisions an ultimate dream of establishing his own business specialising in cooling systems.
Meet Sovanvortei – “Be proud as a woman, don’t give up. We can do the same thing as a man can do.”
Once a top student at her secondary school in Koh Kong province, Sovanvortei had to halt her education in grade 8 due to her family’s financial struggles. Amidst working in an array of jobs, from restaurant waitress to garment factory worker, she remained resolute to continue her education, seizing every opportunity that came her way.
Fuelled by her passion for learning, she taught herself English by watching cartoons and enrolled in a short course on computer skills at a TVET centre in Koh Kong, where she was introduced to BEEP.
I was disappointed with my life – the faith in returning to school faded out day by day until I was introduced to BEEP. I was immediately interested in the programme as I saw how it could be a bridge for continued opportunities for C1, C2, C3 (levels of Technical and Vocational Certificate) and further.
Upon enrolling in BEEP, Sovanvortei adeptly absorbed BEEP’s contents as she still remembered many subject contents from school and was able to complete BEEP in less than half a year. Battling with poor eyesight that previously hindered her classroom experiences, she now revels in the accessibility of online learning. “It is convenient for me now to study online from my phone,” she shares.
Sovanvortei enrolled in a C1 TVET programme after graduating from BEEP and expressed deep appreciation for the breadth and relevance of knowledge offered by BEEP’s courses. Notably, Sovanvortei highlights that the core subjects such as mathematics and electives like Information and Communication Technology (ICT), are of invaluable relevance to her ongoing C1 computer science programme. Furthermore, the elective on gender reshaped her confidence and empowered her in the pursuit of a career in the male-dominated landscape of computer science as a woman.
This course (gender module) changed the way I think about gender roles and rights as women. I want to tell girls to be proud as a woman and do not give up. Women can do the same things as men can do.
Having completed BEEP in 2023, Sovanvortei is currently working as an ICT and English teacher in a community school, all while advancing through her C1 programme. Her ambitions soar higher as she dreams of a future as a computer programmer.
BEEP – Connects Cambodian Youth to Future Pathways
The transformative journeys of Rochom and Sovanvortei are emblematic of a broader narrative shaping Cambodia’s youth. Despite being home to the youngest population in Southeast Asia, only half of Cambodians aged between 18-24 have completed at least lower secondary school, according to the 2021 Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey.
Recognising these untapped potential and unfulfilled educational aspirations, BEEP emerges not only as an alternative pathway – it acts as a catalyst – for these youth to propel their dreams toward fruition, and the promise of a brighter future, much like it did for Rochom and Sovanvortei.
In addition to the accessible and customized online courses, graduated learners also receive support to enrol in their preferred skills courses at TVET institutions. With financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and contributions from the telecommunication operator SMART Axiata for equipment and network access at BEEP learning centres, BEEP under the planned third phase of Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY) will strengthen its efforts to connect Cambodian youth to continued education opportunities and decent employment.
About Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP)
BEEP is part of the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia programme (DEY) with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and contributions from the government and telecommunication operator Smart Axiata. As the flagship collaborative initiative between the MoEYS and the MLVT, the programme is launched by the two ministries and UNESCO to address the issue of high dropout rates at the lower secondary level in Cambodia. Upon completion of the programme, learners receive a certificate equivalent to Grade 9 accredited by the two ministries. The programme is currently in its expansion phase to achieve nationwide rollout and reach new target groups of beneficiaries, including youth working for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), youth in rehabilitation centres and correctional centres, and returned migrants.
