Background
Guidance No.50, dated 15 September 2026, directs implementation of study-and-career orientation and new education pathways for the 2026–2027 school year. The guidance requires separating Grade 11 and Grade 12 students into two academic streams—science and social sciences—and implementing a vocational stream from Grade 10 in existing general and technical secondary institutions.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport organised an online dissemination workshop on 30 September 2026 to explain the guidance to department and provincial education leaders. The dissemination format emphasised technical steps for schools to organise student grouping and for provincial education offices to supervise rollout across public secondary and technical institutions.
Scope of Application
Guidance No.50 applies to public secondary education and technical-vocational institutions designated by the Ministry for the 2026–2027 academic year. The measure is framed as a nationwide policy that requires existing general and technical secondary schools to implement the specified student-streaming arrangements and allows expansion of vocational pathways into newly designated public secondary schools based on local capacity.
Key Provisions or Decisions
- Official issuance: Guidance No.50 was issued on 15 September 2026 as the Ministry’s directive on orientation and pathway implementation.
- Student grouping: Grade 11 and Grade 12 students are to be divided into two streams—science and social sciences.
- Vocational pathway timing: A vocational education pathway is to be implemented beginning at Grade 10 within existing general and technical secondary institutions, with scope to expand to additional public secondary schools according to local conditions.
- Implementation support: The Ministry conducted an online workshop on 30 September 2026 to provide technical instructions and to coordinate provincial education departments and school leadership.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Public secondary schools and technical institutions will need to adjust student placement and timetable arrangements to comply with the streams mandated by the guidance. Providers of school curricula, vocational training materials, and teacher training services may encounter demand to align offerings with the new Grade 10 vocational pathway and the split in Grades 11–12.
Official Source
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) Facebook post and Linktree: https://www.facebook.com/moeys.gov.kh/posts/pfbid08tteQy3YWWziSEGvf1WjnY1CxD6wurvikvRU4VDLXjdjX9N9k6CXf96TDrUwVZ5hl (MoEYS Linktree: https://linktr.ee/moeyscambodia).
