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Historical Background and Recent Developments in Relation to Primary School Leadership in Cambodia

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Primary School Leadership in Cambodia

Abstract

This chapter is in two main parts. The first part addresses the first aim of the study being reported in this book, namely to generate an understanding of the historical background to primary school leadership in Cambodia from the colonial period until 1998. On this, it will be recalled that the current history of Cambodia has been characterised by colonialism, civil war, and poverty. Shortly after gaining independence from France in 1953, the country descended into political turmoil. Later, between 1975 and 1979, a brutal genocide took place, resulting in a considerable loss of human life, destruction of physical infrastructure, destruction of socio-cultural and economic structures, and extensive poverty. While the genocide ended in 1979, conflict was still active in some parts of the country until 1998.

The second part of this chapter addresses the second aim of the study being reported in this book, namely to generate an understanding of the developments that have taken place in relation to primary school leadership in Cambodia since 1998. It is divided into three sub-parts. The first sub-part provides an overview of broad education policies and plans that have shaped primary school education and primary school leadership and management. The second sub-part examines specific developments related to primary school education. The third sub-part investigates developments that took place relating to primary school leadership in Cambodia from the end of conflict in 1998 until 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Education, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia

    Thida Kheang, Tom O’Donoghue & Simon Clarke

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  1. Thida Kheang
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  2. Tom O’Donoghue
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  3. Simon Clarke
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Kheang, T., O’Donoghue, T., Clarke, S. (2018). Historical Background and Recent Developments in Relation to Primary School Leadership in Cambodia. In: Primary School Leadership in Cambodia. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76324-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76324-8_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76323-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76324-8

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