Less chances for Xieng Khuang schoolchildren

I read the following article in the Vientiane Times last spring that I think accurately portrays the state of education in Laos. What this article highlights is the serious problem that exists in all of rural Laos, not just Xieng Khuang, of parents either taking their students out of school to help them on their farms or taking care of brothers or sisters, or students just dropping out on their own for a variety of reasons. It can be, as is brought out in this article, lack of supplies, it could be lack of transportation (students often have to walk/ride bikes up to ten miles one way to get to a school), It could be a lack of teachers, of a decent school, etc.

"Leaving school before completing the term is a troubling, enduring problem that the education section cannot seem to solve in Xieng Khuang province.

Although there is cooperation with the authorities concerned, students' parents need to support the education system by urging their children to attend classes, and explaining to them how important education is.

According to a report from the Head of Xieng Khuang Education Department, Mr Somchai Muavangya, the main obstacle is low incomes; parents do not have enough money to pay for their children's education. Most parents are farmers or low-wage employees.

He explained that in the 2006-2007 academic years, there were over 300 primary students who left school unwillingly out of a total of around 5,000 primary school students. Another 100 secondary school students abandoned their classes, out of a total of 1,335 secondary students, because their parents wanted them to work on their farms.

“One problem is that the teachers still lack the ability to control the students in the classroom, and to keep track of absent students. They can't communicate with the parents due to distance and lack of phone service. The decreasing number of students in the middle of the year, both in primary and secondary schools, is a problem we need to address quickly,” he added.

The Director General of the Department of General Education, Mr Khamhoung Sacklokham, said that after finishing the meeting on current problems in education last year, the Ministry of Education focused on the problem, and developed plans for projects in the next five years to seriously address the issue.
“We hope to help the poor families by supplying school materials to them for free, because many families in remote areas live in poverty and can't send their children to school. They just play at home and help their parents with their work. This is generally why children leave school unwillingly,” he said.

“Although the number of primary and secondary school students decreased in some provinces a few years ago, in the 2005-2006 academic year, the percentage of children aged six to eight attending school across the country reached 85 percent. If we plan to succeed, the number will rise to 88 percent in 2010,” Mr Khamhoung said.

The ministry currently concentrates on three main points: to urge and motivate children to come to school, to modify the education system to increase quality and to strengthen the education system to reach targets set for the 2010 academic year.

The Ministry of Education is continuing to improve and develop its education facilities, as well as providing human resources to suit the country's development strategy and economic requirements.

Comments

[Pao Saykao]

During my official visit to Laos in May 2006, I visited Lat Houang School (my first school what I attended). The school principle asked me to help to supply text books and teaching manuals for grade 1,2 & 3 of the school. While visiting the school, I noted that the buildings are more modern and much bigger but the library is empty. Walking around the school ground, my delegation met a group of grade 2&3 students during their lunch break. I noted, in my photo, that after some 45 years has passed since my attendance at that school, there are still shoes less boy like me attending the school today.

Return to Vientiane, I received a long list of some 3000 books that the school requested. I got a special grant from the Australian ambassador for buying those books foe the school.

Six months had passed but no one from the Lao government side (who are promised to get those books if I get the money) had gone to seek for those books from the Lao government printers. Few months later, the Oz staff went to look for the books and at the end, the Lao government printers can only supply 550 of the 3000 books required by the school (and with money to buy. So, at the end, by June 2007, only 550 books were delivered to the Lao External Committee for External Relation who promised to send the books the Lat Houang school.

So far, I have not heard if those books have reached the school yet!

So much needs to be done but so few has any interest to get the job done or there is simply a lack of many resources, as in this case, no text books available at the gov. printers! The loosers are those shoes-less kids at Lat Houang School.

Pao

[Peter Whittlesey]

Pao,

Wow, I'm glad you're reading my blog! I've read a lot of your articles on your site and have learned a lot about the Hmong from you. Thank you. And I understand your frustration in trying to help Lao students. It's difficult, trying to help, shouldn't be as hard and as frustrating, but if you keep trying, you'll find a way that makes a difference. We know buy Big Brother Mouse books and support their Book Party concept.