The definition and goals of education are mercurial, varying widely across time and space. In Cambodia, which has experienced both flux and reflux over time, education--particularly in schools--has strongly reflected the political circumstances of the time. Education as a fundamental human right is a very new idea: it was, and still is to a significant extent, a privilege that cannot be enjoyed by the majority of the population. In such context, we must look closely at how basic assumptions about education--its purposes, organizational structure, and pedagogy--have changed over time. Additionally, given that Cambodian education has to a significant extent been financed by external support, the influence of international development agencies as well as global development agendas, such as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Education for All (EFA), and, more recently, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cannot be dismissed. [For the complete volume, "Reforming Pedagogy in Cambodia: Local Construction of Global Pedagogies. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects. Volume 62," see ED671925.]