Vientiane Capital has fallen short of government goals to reduce school dropouts, with financial pressures and barriers to attendance keeping children out of classrooms, education authorities reported on 10 November.
The primary school dropout rate stood at 2.38 percent, compared with the government’s goal of keeping it below 0.4 percent. At lower secondary level, the rate reached 5.35 percent, against a goal of less than 4.5 percent.
Bouavone Souklaseang, head of the Vientiane Department of Education and Sports, said some outlying districts recorded considerably higher rates.
In Sangthong district, 12.35 percent of lower secondary students dropped out, alongside 2.70 percent of primary students and 9.94 percent of upper secondary students. In Pakngum district, dropout rates reached 8.17 percent at lower secondary level and 9.01 percent at upper secondary level.
Bouavone attributed the problem to household financial pressures, difficulties at school, and barriers to attending classes.
Some students leave to earn money, while others lose interest after struggling academically or repeating grades. Families moving for work may take their children out of school, and some parents or guardians encourage children to work rather than continue their education.
Deteriorating school buildings and equipment, travel difficulties, and a lack of money for supplies and clothing also affect attendance, Bouavone said.
Measures to Keep Children in School
The department plans to help more children stay in school through scholarships, financial assistance for poorer families, and alternative classes for students who have not completed compulsory lower secondary education.
It will also seek support from development partners to repair schools, provide learning materials, and offer incentives to teachers and students.
Other measures include keeping better records of students and schools, monitoring attendance, and working more closely with parents to prevent children from dropping out.
At upper secondary level, the department proposed incorporating more vocational training into the curriculum to give students practical skills and prepare them for employment.
Vientiane Capital has 1,170 schools, comprising 555 public and 615 private institutions, serving 215,833 students. The report listed 4,569 public-sector teachers and 6,032 private-sector teachers.
