Innovative Finance
August 1, 2024
Context
Cambodia’s rapid industrialization since the 1990s has centered on its garment and footwear sector, which employs over 600,000 workers and accounts for 80 percent of the country's total exports. Over 85 percent of the industry workers are young women migrants from rural areas, of whom 14 percent were illiterate and 29 percent demonstrated low levels of literacy. Many left school early to support their families, leaving them with low literacy levels that limit their personal development, workplace productivity, and understanding of basic rights. Addressing this literacy gap is critical not only for worker empowerment but also for sustainable industry development.
Solution
The Educational and Social Development of Garment Factory Workers program is built around Library Resource Centers (LRCs) in factories and has three key components: literacy classes, social awareness sessions (covering topics relating to nutrition, health, and financial literacy), and borrowing services. The literacy classes, which are delivered as part of the national Factory Literacy Program (FLP), provide tailored, workplace-based learning that equips factory workers with basic functional literacy skills and empowers them to understand their fundamental rights.
Two factory staff are selected based on education level and motivation to be trained by the Ministry of Education (MoE) as literacy teachers. Literacy teachers complete a 12-day training course covering pedagogy, lesson planning, Khmer language, mathematics, and workers’ rights. Trainees receive textbooks and materials, a teacher guidebook, a Ministry of Education certificate, and financial compensation. Factory workers interested in joining the literacy classes take an MoE pre-test (roughly Grade 3 level) assessing reading, writing, and basic math to determine placement. Selection also considers motivation and availability. The literacy classes are advertised by middle managers promoting classes, a UNESCO–Sipar video campaign, and through word-of-mouth.
Tailored teaching materials ensure learning fits workers’ daily needs, with classes typically 50 minutes daily over five to six months. The literacy classes employ a combination of traditional and learner-centered teaching approaches and methodologies. The learner-centered approach seeks to encourage interaction between learners through group activities, role play, and use of the Khmer Literacy app, which provides practical reading exercises based on the content of the lessons. The curriculum is practical and relevant, covering topics like family health, budgeting, and civil registration. Monthly tests and a final exam assess learners’ literacy and numeracy progress, with successful participants earning a Ministry of Education certificate that qualifies them for further adult education at primary and secondary levels. Classes are regularly monitored by the Ministry, Sipar, and UNESCO, with evaluations gathering feedback from teachers and learners to improve training and teaching quality.
Insights
Between 2017 and 2018, the program steadily expanded, with enrollment rising from 136 workers in six factories in the first session to 588 workers across 19 factories by the third session. Most participants completed their courses and reported improved reading, writing, and numeracy skills. The program’s success in reaching more factory workers over time reflects strong engagement and growing demand. In assessments, 51 percent of learners stated their literacy had "generally improved," and 83 percent expressed interest in continuing to higher levels. Beyond literacy, the broader program has fostered greater worker awareness of health, safety, and rights, promoting personal confidence and workplace empowerment.
While dropout rates remain a challenge due to work pressures and uneven initial skills, the program has demonstrated clear demand and positive outcomes, prompting plans to expand to other provinces and integrate further with government-led adult education. Key lessons learned include the critical role of factory managers in motivating worker participation, the need for strong collaboration between the Ministry of Education, civil society, UNESCO, and private partners, and the importance of ongoing assessment and monitoring to refine program content and methods. However, more thorough evaluations are needed to better assess long-term impacts on workers’ lives and communities and to clearly attribute observed changes to the program itself.