Providing Access to Quality Primary Education

Nang Dara, an 11-year-old Grade 6 student at CCF's The Rice Academy, is the youngest of four children. He currently lives with his foster mother in a small rental room in Phnom Penh, while his parents have returned to Kandal Province in search of work.

Dara’s family has always faced hardship. His parents, who were farmers, struggled to earn enough to support their children or send them to school. In 2013, they moved to Phnom Penh in search of better opportunities. Dara’s father found work in construction, but the income remained insufficient. Hoping to secure a brighter future for their children, his parents turned to CCF. Dara’s two older siblings joined CCF in 2013, followed by Dara and his brother in 2015.

Since joining CCF, Dara’s life has transformed. He now receives school uniforms, books, rice, a small allowance, and all the essentials to continue his education. At school, he studies Khmer, English, STEM, mathematics, PE, and computer science, with math and STEM being his favorite subjects. Every Tuesday, he attends STEM classes where he learns through hands-on activities and experiments.

Dara shared, “I like my STEM class because I can see real practice. I learned about animal bodies and flowers. My teacher asked us to study pollen and see how it moves from one part of the flower to another. I really love my STEM class.”

Outside the classroom, Dara enjoys playing football with his friends. He joined a team and won a silver medal. Dara also ranked first out of 33 students in his class and has received several awards for his strong academic performance.

He continued, “My teacher told us that CCF won a global prize for STEM education. I felt very happy and proud. Next year, I will finish primary school and can’t wait to continue my secondary education at the Neeson Cripps Academy (NCA).”

The NCA, a flagship program of CCF that provides secondary and high school education, has been recognized as one of the Top 10 schools in the world by the Global Schools Prize 2026. It is the only school in Southeast Asia to receive this distinction. The award was presented at the Education World Forum in London on May 19. The inaugural prize, run by the Varkey Foundation, celebrates the world’s most innovative and impactful schools reimagining education for the future.

Scott Neeson, Founder and Executive Director of CCF, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised as one of the Top 10 schools in the world and best in STEM.”

“This is more than an award. It’s a platform to spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and advancing action far beyond the classroom.” — Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation.

CCF’s half-day education model wraps around Cambodia’s public school system, so vulnerable children receive a full day of meaningful learning and support without being pulled out of public education. Public schools operate for a half-day, six days a week, either in the morning or afternoon; CCF does not replace this, but fills the other half of the day with enriched classes and holistic support, and actively helps students get to and stay in public school by removing barriers such as transport and schooling costs.

Each child, therefore, has a full-day primary program: one half-day following the Cambodian public school curriculum and exam system, and the other immersed in CCF’s curriculum, wraparound care, and public school integration support. CCF’s primary provision drives both academic achievement and personal development through regular assessments, targeted support for students who are falling behind, and project-based learning that builds critical thinking and creativity. This is reinforced by strong family engagement, including home visits, monthly parent meetings, and Parent–Student–Teacher Conferences held twice a year to share progress, policies, and feedback.

A rich range of extracurricular initiatives, such as sports, meditation, financial literacy, and values education, equip students with essential life skills and positive values that last beyond the classroom.

In 2025, there were 700 students in the primary school program, including 92 new students (48 female) accepted, and 56 children in the Operation Rescue program.

Key highlights of the program outcomes in 2025 are:

•  Academic performance:

                     o   95% annual pass rate across all primary schools.

                     o   96% annual pass rate across public schools.

• Attendance:

                     o   98% annual attendance rate across CCF primary schools.

                     o   97% annual attendance rate across public schools.

• Family engagement: 95% of parents and guardians attended the Parent–Student–Teacher Conferences, showing strong family involvement in children’s education.

Links:

• https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/stories-news