Laos

Much as in Cambodia, the education system in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) has struggled to provide all children with access to high-quality education. Higher quality education is essential if Lao citizens are to successfully transition into skilled non-farming jobs and sustainably build their income to beyond subsistence levels.

In Laos, only 20% of Grade 5 students acquire the language proficiency skills needed to succeed academically at the secondary school level. This substantially impacts students’ performance in other subjects, leading to high drop-out rates throughout the secondary education cycle. As in Cambodia, high levels of bureaucracy and administrative inflexibility mean teachers’ salaries are often significantly delayed, encouraging some to go and work other jobs during school hours, leaving classrooms without teachers. Bureaucratic rigidity inhibits innovation and holds back educational reform. In addition, the vast majority of the recurrent education budget for education (90%) goes to teachers’ salaries leaving inadequate resources for modern education facilities, supplies, and technology.