Laos Save the Children Korea gives boost to education in Borikhamxay
Article from Vientiane Times
(Latest Update October 26, 2015)
Save the Children Korea has provided support for a pilot project to enhance the literacy skills of early grade children in rural areas of Borikhamxay province.
The financial support of over US$400,000 (more than 3.2 billion kip) has been given to Save the Children International in Laos to implement the Literacy Boost pilot project in Borikhamxay province in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports and the province's Education and Sports Department.
The project memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed last Thursday in Borikhamxay province between the Deputy Director of Borikhamxay provincial Education and Sports Department, Mr Oupalee Oudom, and Country Director of Save the Children International in Laos, Mr Olivier Franchi.
It is expected that 1,600 Grade 1 to Grade 3 students in 20 schools, 65 teachers, 800 parents, and 140 members of village education development committees in Viengthong district will benefit from the project, with 3,000 other primary school children also benefiting, according to the agreement.
Deputy Governor of Borikhamxay province Dr Souvanny Xaysana said “Even though this is a pilot project, the successful results will show the scalability of this project in other locales and districts within Laos.”
Mr Franchi also expressed potential future support for the education sector in Laos, saying “If successful, the approach piloted in this project will be replicated in a number of provinces throughout the country.”
Under the agreement, the pilot project aims to improve literacy by increasing students' access to books and reading materials appropriate for their level.
Some of the funding will be used to enhance teachers' skills to teach reading to children in grades 1 to 3 and to promote parents' and communities' involvement in promoting reading.
The money will also be used to obtain concrete evidence for scaling up the project in Laos.
Save the Children has been working in Laos for over 23 years in partnership with the Lao government. Today, the programme portfolio of Save the Children includes education, health, child protection, child rights, governance, and disaster risk reduction.
