Joint Press Release
Friday 17 June 2011
Improving Primary Education for Poor Children in Lao PDR
Australia and the World Bank partner with the Laos Ministry of Education to increase access to and quality of primary education for Laos poorest children.
June 17, 2011, Vientiane, Lao PDR – the USD65.5 million Educations for All - Fast Track Initiative program was formally launched today by the Lao PDR Minister of Education Dr Phankham Viphavanh in Vientiane.
Australia is providing AUD 21 million through the World Bank in support of the program, which will be combined with USD 15.5 million from the World Bank and USD 30 million from the Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund.
While funding for education development in Laos has significantly increased over the past decade, the gap between needs and resources remains large. Out of the 8,500 primary schools that exist in the country, approximately half do not offer education up to Grade 5.
The Education for All – Fast Track Initiative program will improve access to and quality of primary and pre-primary education in 60 targeted districts where retention rates to Grade 5 and girls’ enrolment rates are below the national average. The program will finance the construction and renovation of schools, provide mobile teachers to remote areas, provide school meals and expand the Ministry of Education’s ‘Schools of Quality’ approach.
Around 75 per cent of the country’s primary school aged children not currently attending schools live in these districts and through this program, over half of these children are projected to be enrolled in quality basic education by 2013.
This program aims to train more than 8000 teachers, school directors and communities in ways to improve the quality of teaching and school leadership, providing children with a better learning environment and more stimulating education materials. The program will also aim to build or renovate more than 1500 schools.
A school meals program will also be introduced, which will see locally grown and purchased school lunches provided to children as an incentive to attend and stay in school.
“Australia is pleased to partner with the Government of Lao PDR, the World Bank and the Education for All Fast Track Initiative on this important program to help more Lao children access a quality education,” said Michael Wilson, the Australian Agency for International Development’s Minister Counsellor for the Mekong Region. “The Australian Government believes education is one of the best investments in development, central to the achievement of all Millennium Development Goals, which is why education is a flagship of the Australian aid program.”
“This project directly supports the Lao Government’s four breakthrough strategies, in particular the objective of human resource development,” said Keiko Miwa, World Bank Manager in Lao PDR. “Expanding access to, and more importantly, improving the quality of education for the most disadvantaged and poor children is a critical investment for the future of Lao PDR.”
Officials from the national and provincial governments, as well as from the 60 targeted districts attended the launch ceremony, which included presentations on all program components. Event participants enjoyed a photo exhibition showcasing work done by the Ministry of Education and development partners that has contributed to the planning and preparation phases of the program. Photographs, program information and videos were displayed by the Ministry of Education, AusAID, the World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Food Program.
The Education for All - Fast Track Initiative program is considered to be a primary vehicle for accelerating progress toward quality, universal primary education, improved primary school access and equity, as well as better leaning outcomes and promotion of early childhood development.
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Media contact Australian Embassy:
Ms Raine Dixon
Head of Development Cooperation, Australian Embassy
Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: 021 353800
Media contact World Bank, Lao PDR:
Ms. Meriem Gray
Communications, External Affairs
Vientiane, Lao PDR, [email protected] Tel: 021450010
What is Education for All?
Education for All (EFA) is an international initiative first launched in 1990 to bring the benefits of education to “every citizen in every society.” In order to realize this aim, a broad coalition of national governments, civil society groups, and development agencies committed to achieving specific education goals. After a decade of slow progress, the international community reaffirmed its commitment to EFA in April 2000 and again in September of that year. At the latter meeting, 189 countries and their partners adopted the two EFA goals that are also Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Although MDGs 2 and 3 refer only to issues of universal primary education and gender parity, respectively, it is recognized that achieving these goals requires supporting the full EFA commitment.
What is Fast Track Initiative?
In 2002, the World Bank together with development partners launched the Education for All –Fast Track Initiative (FTI). FTI is a global partnership to help low-income countries meet the education Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the EFA goal that all children complete a full cycle of primary education by 2015. The FTI is a platform for collaboration at the global and country levels. Through the FTI compact, developing countries commit to design and implement sound education plans while donor partners commit to align and harmonize additional support around these plans. Funding is channeled through existing bilateral and multilateral channels and also through the FTI Catalytic Fund which supports countries with insufficient resources to implement their sector plans.