The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Community Education Development (SEAMEO CED) hosted the 6th International Seminar on Community Education Development in Vientiane to address issues in the education sector and tackle the challenges of improving access to quality education in rural areas.
້Held on 27 September, The seminar brought together educators from six countries—Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Timor-Leste to discuss and develop solutions to the pressing issues facing education in remote regions.
The gathering served as a platform for researchers, educators, policymakers, and administratorsAttendees shared lessons drawn from their research, with a particular focus this year on overcoming obstacles such as global citizenship education, environmental health concerns, and the impact of climate change.
Topics like pollution, clean water access, and other environmental factors that directly affect education in these underserved areas were central to the discussions.
Lao Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Samlane Phankhavong, stressed the significant role education plays in sustainable development, particularly in rural areas where access to quality education is limited. He emphasized that improved education could transform communities, lifting standards of living while reducing inequality and instability in society.
This collective effort, he noted, not only aims to bridge the gap in educational access but also strives to raise the overall quality of education for those in underserved regions.
Recently, Lao is facing teachers shortage and less of enrollment in school including National University of Laos is experiencing a drastic decline in student enrollment, with numbers falling from 15,000 in 2016-2017 to just 5,457 in 2024, as well as Bolikhamxay Province is facing a critical shortage of teachers, with a need for 413 more educators, while in Savannakhet over 500 teachers are needed to fill vacancies across the province.
Through these partnerships, educational outcomes can be significantly elevated, creating long-term benefits for both students and the broader society.
