More funds are required to develop Lao education, according to the Ministry of Education and Sports, as disparity between urban, rural and remote is still quite broad. The Ministry of Education and Sports is working to bolster education and sports development in target areas, however.
According to the ministry, the education and sports sectors have requested 70 billion kip to improve the standard of education in 2016-2020, while 5 billion kip has been requested for development in 2017.
The government has designed special programmes for education and sports in 2017, recognising that if literacy can be improved in rural areas then more communities will be able to escape from poverty.
Minister of Education and Sports Ms Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun recently said that key education development programmes will improve management and administration within the sector by assigning appropriate personnel.
Programmes will focus on teacher skill development at all levels and providing assistance for students who lack opportunities. Teachers are in high demand in many rural areas.
The ministry will step up cooperation with foreign countries in the education and sports sectors, aiming to upgrade education and bolster educational links within the region and internationally.
This year the ministry will launch pilot programmes to improve conditions in rural areas by building teacher and student dormitories in target areas.
The ministry will also develop a funding group for education development to help teachers and students in remote areas, and source funding to support outstanding teachers and students with talents in sports and music so they can attend competitions in Laos and other countries.
The ministry and its development partners have been focusing on improving basic education, post-basic education and other areas, and these initiatives have served as excellent models to further develop education so that goals are achieved and disparities in access to basic education are reduced.
Disparities between remote rural districts and urban areas must be addressed so that development can move forward and these disparities can be gradually narrowed, the ministry said.
Source: Vientiane Times
