Southern students to have new schools
  Primary school students in southern Laos will soon be studying in brand new classrooms thanks to the generous support of the Japanese government. The government of Japan has agreed to build 74 new primary schools in Saravan, Attapeu and Xekong provinces under the Project for Improvement of School Environments. The project also provides necessary facilities and equipment such as access roads and water supply. The construction work will cost US$7.6 million, according to a press release. Technical assistance for the Japanese government funded 'Supporting Community Initiative for Primary Education Development in the Southern provinces' project is now being implemented in the same provinces.
  "This project will make a big impact on the improvement of education environments in these areas, collaborating with the on-going Japanese technical assistance," the press release said.
  In national development, the development of human resources has come to be considered fundamental to economic progress.
  The Ambassador of Japan to Laos, Mr Masaaki Miyashita, said at a signing ceremony for the agreement that Japan regards education as an important part of its assistance to Laos. He said improved primary education will help to develop children's knowledge and abilities.
  The assistance is provided under the framework of multi-lateral cooperation between Japan, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in the development triangle, which covers Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu provinces.
  This project is also a demonstration of the Japanese government's commitment to the development of the development triangle area of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV), which was endorsed at the Japan-CLV summit held in Vientiane in November 2004.
  It is hoped that through this project, the quality and quantity of education in Laos will be significantly improved, thus contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, especially in universal primary education.
  The grant contract was signed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Phongsavath Boupha and Mr Miyashita at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane to set the project in motion. The signing ceremony was also attended by the Acting Director General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, Mr Sengsomphone Viravouth, governors and representatives from both sides.
(February 2009, Phaisythong Chandara, APPREB correspondent)

UNICEF Backs UXO Education and Clearance
  Last year's Twinkle Week activities raised US$ 400,000 for mine risk education and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance in Laos.
  Last November, for the fifth time, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Switzerland and the Swiss Family magazine organised the annual Twinkle Week, during which over 10,000 Swiss schoolchildren devise their own activities to raise funds for UNICEF.
  UNICEF Switzerland goodwill ambassador, Mr Kurt Aeschbacher, spoke with media during a visit to Laos from February 1-5.
  "Fund-raising activities organised by children during previous Twinkle Weeks have included concerts, morning teas for adults, and producing newspapers and holding press conferences to highlight the situation of children around the world," he said.
  The team from Switzerland began their visit to Laos in Savannakhet province where they saw the work being done by UNICEF and its partner, Handicap International Belgium (HIB), to tackle the province's serious problems with UXO remaining from the Indochina War. They visited Chouy Yeung village in Sepon district, Savannakhet province, to see firsthand the work of an HIB UXO clearance team, where they saw several large, recently-uncovered bombs and missiles.
  The team also witnessed the work being done through UXO risk education to raise awareness among local people about the dangers posed by the large number of cluster munitions, bombs and other UXO in the area. They saw the work of volunteers who, through regular education sessions using UNICEF-produced mine risk education manuals, try to prevent children becoming involved in the hazardous business of UXO scrap metal collection.
  During their stay in Vientiane, the mission from Switzerland visited Napho Primary School in Phonehong district, which is one of nearly 800 schools to have benefitted from the Schools of Quality policy being implemented nationwide by the Ministry of Education with UNICEF's support. Under the policy, the ministry works with parents, schools and the wider community to ensure that no child misses out on primary education. UNICEF has supported the policy since 2007, providing classroom materials, training for teachers and other assistance.
  Mr Aeschbacher was accompanied to Laos by the Executive Director of the UNICEF National Committee for Switzerland, Ms Elsbeth Müller, and the Editor in Chief of the weekly Swiss Family magazine, Mr Daniel Dunkel.
(February 2009, Phaisythong Chandara, APPREB correspondent)

Book festival to inspire love of reading
  Inspiring children to love books was one of the aims of the Fourth Children's Book Festival held in Vientiane, Laos on June 6 and 7 which took place at the Vientiane Education Department organised by Action with Lao Children (ALC).
  ALC Country Representative, Ms Dara Kanlaya, said that more than 3,000 children participated in the activities and the festival was packed with things to do and to see, including displays of Lao and foreign books, reading competitions, story telling, poetry, singing, drawing and painting.
  "Books provide readers of all ages with a source of knowledge and new experiences. They stimulate imagination and creative thinking in children. They also develop language skills both in speaking and writing," she said.
  Ms Dara said creating a sense of love for reading in children requires many strategies, one of which is to provide opportunity for children to have direct contact with good books, to be surrounded by books, to touch, feel, see and be ready to read in their early years of life.
  Festival participants were encouraged to donate new and old books which were distributed to 100 needy primary and secondary schools in rural areas of Vientiane.
  People also met writers, artists and children's book publishers, and bought books at 30 percent discount.
(June 2008, Phaisythong Chandara, APPREB correspondent)

Country's Top Students Win Awards
  Two students from Vientiane Secondary Schools, one from Kengkabao Secondary School in Savannakhet province and another from Santiphab Secondary School in Luang Prabang province won the 19th National Best Students' Exams, which took place in Vientiane on 22 April.
  Mr. Thoviengher Chongkeu, 17, from Vientiane came top in maths and Ms Phouvilay Soulenthone, 18, also from Vientiane, came top in chemistry. Mr Onchanh Xaysong, 18, from Luang Prabang province won the physics prize and Ms Sonnaly Nanthanonthi, 17, from Savannakhet province won the literature prize.
  "The students who came second and third in each subject come from Vientiane, Xayaboury, Bokeo, Luang Prabang, Huaphan and Saravan provinces," said the Deputy Director of the General Education Department, Mr Ka Salurmsouk.
  He said contestants'marks had been rechecked after the exams to make sure they were correct before an official announcement of the winners was made.
  Mr Ka said those who came first, second and third in each subject received prizes and certificates of merit.
  They also received provisional entrance to the National University of Laos, but this was dependent on obtaining scores of between five and ten in each subject in their final secondary school exams.
  Mr Ka said that in the finals of the national exams 64 students from 16 provinces were examined in maths, physics, chemistry and literature.
  He encouraged all those who had not won a prize to pay closer attention to their studies and use the experience gained from the contest to better themselves.
  The exams served to improve learning and teaching in schools by encouraging students to be active in their studies and helping teachers to be more effective, Mr Ka said. He called on school administrators to improve their teaching methods and the implementation of the new secondary education curriculum, which would come into force next academic year.
  Mr Ka said, to achieve the education ministry's goals, education departments around the country must strengthen their curriculums and teaching standards. He also advised them to hold special classes for talented students.
  The aim of the national exams was to give students the chance to showcase their talents, knowledge, abilities and creativity in these subjects. Another objective was to encourage the best students in these subjects to study hard and work towards international competitions.
  The exams were organised by the ministry's Department of General Education with support from the ministry and provincial education departments.
(April 2008, Phaisythong Chandara, APPREB correspondent)