The EMCAST Conference in Phnom Penh late last year represented a pivotal moment in the evolution of the continued professional development (CPD) of teachers and STEM education in Cambodia. 

STEM education refers to learning that integrates the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The EMCAST Conference focused on showcasing the achievements of the EMCAST STTC CPD programme, which specifically targets secondary school teachers in collaboration with KOICA and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), with the support of NGPRC. 

Aligned with Cambodia's Education 2030 initiative, the EMCAST STTC CPD programme has been operating to equip teachers with the tools and knowledge to guide students in acquiring transformative competencies essential in the 21st century for shaping the future. 

The conference shared the programme's achievements with more than 500 participants, highlighting the impact of transforming teachers' mindsets and encouraging voluntary movement towards lifelong professional development activities among teachers. 

Throughout 2023, 502 secondary school teachers from 68 schools across 22 provinces participated in the CPD programme, with 250 teachers notably receiving certification as STEM Ambassador teachers. 

These STEM Ambassador teachers not only implemented competence-based learning in their classrooms, but also took the initiative to organise teacher communities for CPD activities with peer teachers in schools. 

At the conference,  EMCAST expressed its aspirations of the event sparking collaborative initiatives among education stakeholders, and fostering positive transformations in teachers' CPD and school learning for the sustainable development of communities and the country.

Jung-Woung Kim, the CEO of EMCAST, said that in 2024, along with KOICA and MoEYS, the EMCAST STTC CPD is expected to expand to more provinces, supporting STEM Ambassador teachers in implementing student-centred learning and fostering a culture of the lifelong professional development of teachers. 

EMCAST is a South Korean EdTech company established in 2000. EMCAST has been conducting a teacher's CPD programme focusing on STEM in Cambodia since 2019 under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MoEYS.