News

In celebration of World Book Day, BEQUAL would like to shine the spotlight on two very dedicated caregivers from a remote Hmong village. Let’s read the story of Nou and Howa and discover how they created a reading corner for their children in their house.

Theatre for Development is the innovative approach taken by the BEQUAL NGO Consortium to promote literacy and reading in Oudomxay Province. In celebration of World Theatre Day on 27 March, Australia and the European Union would like to shine the spotlight on this successful initiative.

Meet Mrs Sengngeune Wayakone, a woman with strong opinions on gender equality and discover how education could play an important role in girls’ empowerment.

Read the story of Kaenkham Yang, a motivated and highly committed Hmong woman who advocates for education for all and works tirelessly as a volunteer hoping to make significant and lasting change in her community.

Last week, Ambassador Jean-Bernard Carrasco, was delighted to see Australia’s and the European Union’s support to education development in Savannakhet through BEQUAL, a program led by the Government of Laos. The program is helping disadvantaged children to access quality education. His trip culminated with the inauguration of the students’ facilities at the Teacher Training College and the ground-breaking ceremony of school construction for the province.

Read the story of positive change and hope revealed by Lauren Kana Chan, the European Union blogger who visited BEQUAL activities in Houaphan Province.

The BEQUAL Program is proud to work with NGOs namely Plan International, World Vision, Save the Children and ChildFund Laos since 2015 as BEQUAL NGOs Consortium (BNC). The BNC is working to deliver activities that ensure all children, particularly girls and children with disabilities, in target schools in remote and rural locations, enrol in and complete a quality primary education, supported by their parents and communities.

Hear the stories of young Noung Gu Lhao, Jue Lee, and Por Ju and discover how they found the way back to school thanks to the BEQUAL NGO Consortium small grants program and the participation of their community.

On behalf of the Australian Embassy Education Team I would like to thank the Ministry of Education and Sports, the European Union and all of BEQUAL’s implementing partners for the strong collaboration on BEQUAL over the past two years.

BEQUAL is quite a unique program, as it is very much a collaborative educational initiative aligned to the Ministry of Education and Sports’ (MoES) 2016–20 Education Sector Development Plan.

To celebrate the contribution of women in Lao PDR, BEQUAL interviewed women involved in education and the BEQUAL program. We gathered their views and opinions on the challenges faced by women and how education could help. Several interviews were broadcasted on the Lao National Radio in March ahead of International Women’s Day.

For the first time in donor history in Laos, a single program has been tasked with revising both the national primary curriculum, which will be taught in all classrooms across the country and the primary teacher education curriculum which will be used to train future teachers.

Grade 1 classes in Kengkham, Oudomsouk, Kadap, Nahouanam and Nalouang schools were among 25 primary schools selected nationwide to trial new textbooks and teacher guides during the 2016-17 school year as part of the revision of the national primary curriculum. The new curriculum promotes an active learning approach to primary school teaching.

In the first two weeks of May, the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes (ASLO) tested 17,535 Grade 3 students on their Lao language skills and basic mathematic ability. The logistics were impressive with a team of 456 enumerators from Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES), different departments from the Ministry of Education and Sports, Provincial Education and Sports Services and District Education and Sports Bureau travelling to 1,305 primary schools across the country.

Lao PDR has made great progress in increasing access to education over the past decade. However, in many remote and disadvantaged communities, a lack of teaching and learning resources and high rates of dropout are undermining education outcomes, particularly literacy.

Xiangkhouang province, famous for its enigmatic giant stone megaliths known as the Plain of Jars, conceals another precious treasure, its cultural diversity. With eight sub-ethnic groups, this diversity translates into a variety of languages and dialects. Indeed, nearly half of the population is either Hmong or Khmu speaking.

It’s difficult to study when rain is blowing on your book through the planks of the classroom wall or when there are not enough tables to write on. How can you go to school when you are in a wheelchair and there are only stairs leading up to the classroom? And how can you stay healthy at school when there is no toilet and no tap to wash your hands?

Children with disabilities experience many barriers to their full inclusion in society. Getting access to education can be very challenging for children with disabilities. Read the story of Por Ju, Lar Lee, and Nak and how they are now able to participate in learning activities like the other children thanks to the support of the BEQUAL NGO Consortium.

How can a student stay healthy when their school lacks a toilet? On November 19th, we will be celebrating World Toilet Day. Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) recognizes the importance of having proper water and sanitation facilities at school. Last year, 389 primary school toilets in remote areas were renovated or built to make healthier, more supportive learning environments for children.

Officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Planning and Investment, Australian Embassy and European Union, took part in a joint BEQUAL field visit in Central and Southern Provinces of Lao during 23-27 October 2017.

The BEQUAL NGO Consortium recognizes the importance of handwashing activities in increasing school attendance and participation. Through the construction of handwashing stations in primary schools and the training of primary teachers and students on proper handwashing techniques with soap, BEQUAL plays a part in helping to prevent disease among children. Students stay healthy and fit to learn.

Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of the next generation and the development of Lao PDR. The BEQUAL program is proud to support teachers in Laos by working with the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve training and professional development of teachers, as well as the teaching and learning materials available to teachers.

The BEQUAL infrastructure team has just completed water supply rehabilitation works at Saravan and Luang Namtha Teacher Training Colleges. Student teachers, including BEQUAL ethnic student teachers can now safely use the new water facilities.

11 organisations will receive BEIF grants to support active and innovative basic education activities for a total amount of up to AUD 817,000.

This year marks the 51st anniversary of World Literacy Day. Australia and the European Union recognise the importance of literacy and are proud to give children across Laos better access to reading materials through BEQUAL.

Every year on 1 June we celebrate International Children’s Day. Like many countries, Lao celebrate Children’s Day through some traditional public activities like dancing, singing, drawing, playing games, exhibitions and in some places, combined with tree planting activity.

22 concepts notes have been short-listed – Successful participants are invited to submit a full proposal

Meet Samy and Sokhong, two young ethnic students from Sing District in Northern Laos; their dream is to become primary teachers to provide a brighter future for their villages.

Due to the high level of interest shown by our government counterparts and NGO’s and NPA’s, 149 concept notes were received. Announcement for successful applicants will be delayed until May 12th 2017.

Under the MoU signed today, ChildFund Laos will start to to implement the BEQUAL NGO Consortium Project Houaphan Province

“When women receive education… they will know how to protect themselves, how to access information; they will be able to develop themselves, their families and get a permanent job.”

“It is fantastic when you learn how people have solved their problems… mutual respect between the genders and between elders and the youth is crucial.”

The Ministry of Education and Sports and BEQUAL program held their second Steering Committee in February to review the progress after nearly two years of implementation and endorse the Annual Plan for 2016-2017.

World Vision Lao PDR signed on 27 February 2017 a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the BEQUAL NGO Consortium Project in Khammouane Province.

The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) will be the first Ministry in Lao PDR to roll-out a robust and comprehensive email and data exchange platform, using a Microsoft Exchange architecture solution.

Under the MoU signed today, Save the Children will start to implement activities in Nambak District of Luang Prabang Province.

Discover the latest news of the BEQUAL activities in this very first edition of our Newsletter.

With the support from BEQUAL, UNICEF is delivering water and sanitation to children living in remote and rural schools and communities of Lao PDR.

BEQUAL funded rehabilitation of classrooms and toilets at 389 primary schools which were classified as unsafe and in need of urgent repairs.

BEQUAL is supporting 520 ethnic student teachers, two-thirds of them women, by offering scholarships to undertake teacher training in order to become a teacher in their village primary school.

The three-day global conference explored tools and research that strengthen education system policies and performance and promote learning for all.

BEQUAL’s first Steering Committee meeting, held in February 2016, has endorsed a range of initiatives to improve education outcomes for children across Lao PDR.