Young provincial Cambodian university students’ perceptions and reflections on their future opportunities while coping with their contemporary lives

Abstract

This thesis examined how young provincial Cambodian students perceive their future. This study also explored some of the obstacles the participants have faced since childhood and how these challenges have affected their lives. The research was carried out within a transformative-emancipatory research paradigm. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 rural university students studying in the Battambang province, in North-West Cambodia. A thematic analysis was performed on the collected data. Young provincial university students in this study faced various issues, such as poverty including poverty of means and opportunity, domestic violence, discouragement, and unfulfilled rights during childhood. During their academic life at university, they faced more challenges, such as time constraints, the unavailability of their preferred major, the quality of lecturers, and their poor English qualifications. . The findings of the thesis are messages to inform relevant policy makers about challenges rural students faced and means that helped them cope with the challenges. This will help them develop educational policies which are more pro-rural student as well as promote inspiring environment for them to fulfil their bright future. In addition, through these findings, parents and teachers can be aware of youth’s feeling of disappointment and depression as a result of their misunderstanding and restriction of human rights to their children and students.