AKP Phnom Penh, July 21, 2026 --

H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, has expressed appreciation for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)'s continued support for promoting health education and youth development in Cambodia.

During a meeting in Phnom Penh on July 20 with Mrs. Sandra Bernklau, UNFPA Representative for Cambodia, H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron briefed his guest on the progress of Cambodia's education reforms over the past decade. These include improving teachers' livelihoods through salary increases, reforming the school system, enhancing curricula, expanding school infrastructure, and participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The Minister also highlighted joint efforts to address key social issues, particularly the prevention of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and school dropout through the implementation of the Health-Promoting School (HPS) and School Health Room standards, while promoting youth as a positive force for social change.

H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron expressed gratitude for UNFPA's coordination with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in supporting health education initiatives and research on the impact of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). He also reaffirmed Cambodia's support for the UN80 reform initiative aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the UN multilateral system.

He stressed that continued investment in youth potential, student health, and early childhood education is essential to building human capital that supports Cambodia's sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

For her part, Mrs. Sandra Bernklau commended Cambodia for becoming a regional model in integrating health education and Comprehensive Sexuality Education into the national curriculum. She emphasised that investing in the health and well-being of young people is key to developing a healthy, skilled workforce capable of supporting the country's future development.

She also reaffirmed UNFPA's commitment, under its 2026-2029 Strategic Plan, to continue working with the Ministry of Education and development partners to expand investment in student health, early childhood education, youth leadership and capacity development, and the prevention of social issues in order to maximise the benefits of Cambodia's demographic transition.

By Lim Nary