A brief history of Cambodia after Khmer Rouge Regime

Cambodia is considered to be a post-conflict society where the roots of many contemporary problems lied in the country’s tumultuous history. Juxtaposed between Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia has been insecure and vulnerable to foreign territorial ambitions. The most prolonged experience of occupation was being under the French colonial administration, which lasted for nearly a century until the French relinquished their Indochina colonies in the 1950s. After that, Cambodia met the first civil war, erupted in 1970 after General Lon Nol seized power from Cambodia’s long ruling Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Then Khmer Rouge happened from 1975 to 1979. After Khmer Rouge had finished, Cambodia had not been recognized as the peaceful country yet because the sound of guns, made by the governmental soldiers and the rest of Pol Pot soldiers, still occurred around the borders of the country. However, situation in Cambodia started to become better after the election in 1993 which was under help of UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia). In 1998, Cambodia got full peace without the sound of guns again. Since the election in 1993, the new government has started to develop the country under the help of international institutions in all factors such as economy, health, agriculture, industrial, education, and so on. Among these factors, international institutions and the government focus mainly on gender, especially in education. The female and male students have equal right and opportunities to get education. In the last fifteen years, the numbers of students at primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, and colleges have increased around the country, both country sides and city. Nevertheless, if we compare the numbers of students who have bachelor degrees with the ones who have finished high school, it seems to be very different, considering to other countries. That is why, there are some questions about it; “What are the causes making the students do not continue their study in college?” is one of them.