Education in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: official figures
96.0% of people aged 15 and over in Phnom Penh could read and write at the 2019 census, 97.3% of men and 94.9% of women (national: 87.7%); the highest of 25 provinces for adult literacy.
How many people in Phnom Penh can read and write?
Among people aged 7 and over in Phnom Penh, 95.9% were literate in 2019 (national: 88.5%). Among those aged 15 and over, literacy was 2.4 percentage points higher for men than for women.
Source: National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning · saved copyHow many children in Phnom Penh go to school?
At the 2019 census 91.6% of children aged 6 to 11 in Phnom Penh were attending school, as were 92.2% of those aged 12 to 14 and 71.8% of those aged 15 to 17 (national: 90.6%, 91.6% and 67.6%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning · saved copyHow many young people in Phnom Penh are in university or college?
31.2% of people aged 18 to 24 in Phnom Penh were still in education at the 2019 census (national: 20.7%); 2nd highest of 25 provinces for this age group.
Source: National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning · saved copyWhat level of education do people in Phnom Penh have?
Among literate people aged 15 and over in Phnom Penh, 19.6% had not finished primary school, 35.8% had finished lower secondary and 19.4% had gone beyond lower secondary at the 2019 census (national: 35.2%, 26.7% and 7.0%).
Source: National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning · saved copyHow many schools are there in Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh had 380 public schools from pre-school to upper secondary in 2021-22, with 245,356 students (119,102 girls) and 9,242 teaching staff.
Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia) · saved copyWhat is the pupil-teacher ratio in Phnom Penh?
Public schools in Phnom Penh had 26.5 pupils for every teacher in 2021-22, and primary schools had 42.3 (nationally: 34.6 and 45.1); joint 5th lowest of 25 provinces for pupils per teacher.
Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia) · saved copyHow many schools in Phnom Penh have no water or toilets?
28.0% of primary schools in Phnom Penh had no water supply and 32.9% had no latrine in 2021-22 (national: 57.7% and 22.5%); 70.1% ran two shifts.
Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia) · saved copyHow many students drop out of school in Phnom Penh?
In the 2020-21 school year the dropout rate in Phnom Penh was 10.2% in primary school, 12.3% in lower secondary and 13.6% in upper secondary (national: 7.2%, 16.6% and 18.5%).
Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia) · saved copyWhat is the school enrolment rate in Phnom Penh?
Net enrolment in public schools in 2021-22 in Phnom Penh was 43.7% in primary, 27.0% in lower secondary and 19.1% in upper secondary school (national: 86.8%, 43.6% and 26.3%). Children in private schools are not counted.
Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia) · saved copyHow Phnom Penh compares with other capitals
Adult literacy rate, age 15 and over (2019)
Phnom Penh ranks 1 of 25, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adult literacy rate, age 15 and over |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phnom Penh | 96.0% |
| 2 | Kandal | 92.5% |
| 3 | Svay Rieng | 90.0% |
| 4 | Preah Sihanouk | 89.7% |
| 5 | Prey Veng | 89.6% |
| 6 | Takeo | 89.5% |
| 7 | Kampong Speu | 89.3% |
Share of 15 to 17 year olds in school (2019)
Phnom Penh ranks 7 of 25, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of 15 to 17 year olds in school |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Svay Rieng | 73.4% |
| 5 | Kampot | 72.2% |
| 6 | Kampong Chhnang | 71.9% |
| 7 | Phnom Penh | 71.8% |
| 8 | Pursat | 70.4% |
| 9 | Koh Kong | 69.4% |
| 10 | Kep | 68.0% |
Lower secondary dropout rate, 2020-21 (2020-21)
Phnom Penh ranks 21 of 25, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Lower secondary dropout rate, 2020-21 |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Preah Vihear | 14.4% |
| 19 | Preah Sihanouk | 13.1% |
| 20 | Mondul Kiri | 12.9% |
| 21 | Phnom Penh | 12.3% |
| 22 | Banteay Meanchey | 12.1% |
| 23 | Takeo | 11.8% |
| 24 | Kandal | 11.2% |
More on Phnom Penh: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · Cambodia
Sources
- National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning: General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019, Final Results (national report with provincial tables PT 01-PT 23), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8a10064a917f…)
- Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia): Public Education Statistics and Indicators 2021-2022 (Department of Education Management Information System), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c6832b80154d…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.