The Government of Japan has awarded a grant of USD 107,000 to improve schools in Bokeo Province, Laos, with the goal of reducing student dropout rates.
On 24 October, Japanese Ambassador Koizumi Tsutomu signed a grant contract with Somphit Chanthavong, Director of the Office of Education and Sports for Huayxay district, in Vientiane. The event was attended by Khamphaya Phompanya, Vice Governor of Bokeo Province.
This funding will be used to construct a new school building and toilet facilities for Toup Kindergarten and Primary School. It will also provide school furniture and relocate the school to higher ground to safeguard it from floods.
Bokeo Province is highly vulnerable to flooding, which disrupts school attendance and damages infrastructure, according to the World Bank. Reports show that Laos faces severe educational challenges in the province, including dropout rates of 30 to 40 percent, particularly in villages that do not offer access to grades 4 and 5.
In the 2023–24 academic year, over 5,000 children dropped out of primary, lower, and upper secondary schools in Bokeo Province, as reported by the provincial education department earlier this year. Factors contributing to this alarming dropout rate include the long distance to schools, lack of student dorms, financial hardships prompting children to work, and a perception that further education is not valuable.
The province has seen a total of 5,781 children drop out, with a decline of 654 enrollments in lower and upper secondary schools compared to the previous year. Poor school management, teacher shortages, and insufficient cooperation among educators, parents, and officials further discourage school attendance.
In response, the Bokeo Provincial Education and Sports Department plans to collaborate with local authorities to improve employment opportunities, enhance school attendance awareness, and upgrade school infrastructure. These efforts align with the government’s goal of improving education quality and increasing enrollment nationwide, as highlighted by a significant drop in university enrollments from over 9,000 in the 2020–21 academic year to 6,688 in 2023–24. The Lao government is committed to addressing these challenges through various projects in its National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025.
Since 1992, Japan has contributed over USD 1 million to projects in Bokeo Province, focusing on education, infrastructure, and agriculture.
