The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the SDP target provinces aim to provide students with a positive learning experience. However, collecting student feedback has been slow and confusing for many years. Paper forms were lost. The data arrived late. Teachers did not always know what students needed. At the Polytechnic Institute (PI) of Kampong Chhnang, most feedback was submitted on paper. Some staff tried using Google Forms, but the data was difficult to combine and understand. At the Regional Polytechnic Institute Techo Sen Battambang (RPITSB), feedback was not collected regularly. Without a clear system, teachers had little insight into how students felt about the training. At the Provincial Training Centre (PTC) of Stung Treng, staff spent long hours working with Excel and paper forms. Reports took time and often arrived late.
Introducing a simple digital step forward
The Skills Development Programme (SDP) collaborated closely with the three training schools to introduce a simple digital Trainee Satisfaction Survey (TSS). Students could complete the survey on their phones, and the answers would appear right away on a clear dashboard by using Kobo Toolbox to collect the feedback and Power BI to turn them into charts. School staff learned how to run the survey and understand the results. The tools were easy to use, and the teams grew more confident with each round.
At PI Kampong Chhnang, the survey soon became a regular feature of every semester. The school even created an additional survey to examine trainer performance in more detail. Mr. Yorn Kaorsal shared his experience: “Once the SDP introduced and built our capacity on the Kobo Toolbox and the Power BI, we are now able to conduct the survey consistently with much less time and effort”
At RPITSB, the team used the digital survey for all active courses. They also designed two new tools: a trainer evaluation survey and a classroom inspection form for department heads. These surveys helped them understand trainer performance in more detail. As Mr. Sao Narong said, “With the tools (the Kobo Toolbox and the Power BI), I can implement the survey more consistently. The results are consolidated and can be disaggregated using filters to reveal every detail with minimum effort.” Looking ahead, he said, “Ideally, we should consolidate the results of both surveys in the next step.”
At PTC Stung Treng, the team expanded the tools to develop the 1.5 million learners and graduate employment tracking dashboards which help the school to manage and report consistently and timely to relevant stakeholders as needed.
The timing resulted in a low response rate, but the team quickly identified the issue and planned to administer the survey at the end of each course. More importantly, they used digital tools to improve follow-up with graduates and reporting. This saved many hours of manual work and provided school leaders with much clearer information.
What these changes look like today
In Kampong Chhnang, for example, the survey has become a routine part of school life. Trainers can see comments alongside data, helping them to grow. Leadership teams can track changes over time and identify areas that need support. In Battambang, teachers now have access to information that was previously unavailable to them. They can see both trainee satisfaction and trainer performance. The school is considering combining all these results into a single view. This would provide an even clearer picture of training quality.In Stung Treng, the biggest benefit has been increased speed. Reports that once took hours can now be produced in minutes. Staff now have more time to support students and plan improvements, and less time is spent on paperwork.
Why this work matters for disadvantaged young people
These changes may seem minor, but they make a real difference to young people learning job skills. When schools pay close attention to their students, the students feel valued. Teachers can respond more quickly. Families feel more secure when they see the schools improving. Communities benefit, too, because better training means stronger skills and more job opportunities.
A quiet but important step toward better training
This digital survey did not arrive as a major transformation. It arrived as a simple tool. But over time, it helped schools develop new habits. It helped them listen more clearly. It helped them act with more confidence. It also helped them to understand their students better. The journey continues, but these early steps show a hopeful path forward. When schools can hear their students, they can support them more effectively. This creates opportunities for young people to grow, access decent employment and build better lives.
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