UNESCO supports Cambodia to develop its first national MIL assessment tool

Beyond individual assessment, the new Tool will serve as a national diagnostic mechanism for mapping Cambodia's DMIL landscape and monitoring progress over time. It will provide evidence-based insights into competency levels, gaps, trends and learning needs across different population groups. The data generated through the platform is expected to support government institutions, policymakers and other stakeholders in designing targeted, data-driven policies and programmes. By strengthening the evidence base for decision-making, the initiative aims to contribute to the continued development of digital, media and information literacy nationwide.

Despite rapid adoption of technology, only 30% of the Cambodian population attain basic digital literacy (Kemp, 2022), and data about Media and Information Literacy (MIL) remains scarce.

The development process for the Assessment Tool adopted an inclusive and participatory approach, bringing together over 30 key stakeholders from diverse ministries, academic institutions, civil society and non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to share their concerns and inputs.

In June 2026, the Tool underwent its first pilot phase across three Cambodian provinces: Takeo, Battambang and Siem Reap. The sample group of participants was selected to be representative and reflect the diversity of intended users: students, teachers, government officials and general public.

Participants engaged with genuine interest and curiosity, not only in completing the assessment, but in understanding their results and seeking out ways to further strengthen their skills. Most users stated that the adaptive design led them accurately through tasks and agreed that the results aligned with their competency

As one student stated: "I agree with the results because I know my areas of strength and weakness. I know that I have limited experience in using digital tools."

Data collected from the pilot study reflected expected differences in digital access and learning opportunities. Participants in better-resourced provinces, such as Takeo, generally outperformed those in more rural areas like Battambang. These early results reinforced the credibility of the assessment tool and underscored the need for the adapted DMIL development.

Building upon the success and the lessons of the pilot phase, Cambodia's MPTC now aims to expand the content and reach of the Assessment Tool through a post-pilot revision phase. This second stage is expected to be completed by the end of this year with a national rollout scheduled for 2027.