Model Primary School Standards and Student Learning Outcomes in Cambodia: The Roles of Teacher Capacity, Leadership, and Parental Engagement

Improving the quality of education remains a pressing challenge in Cambodia, where access to schooling has expanded, but learning outcomes, particularly in Khmer and mathematics, remain weak. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport introduced the Model Primary School Standards (MPSS), a reform framework designed to strengthen teaching, leadership, accountability, and community engagement. Despite its policy importance, there is a lack of empirical evidence on how MPSSs are implemented in practice and its impact on teachers, students, and parents. This research aimed to assess the effect of the Model Primary School System initiative in Pailin Province. The study was based on a foundation of social, cognitive, sociocultural, expectancy-value, and leadership theories. Ultimately, the study determined how the model primary school system influences crucial educational elements, including teacher capabilities, leadership styles, parental engagement, students' self-perceptions, and the resulting outcomes.