Nippon gives educational boost to people with disabilities

The Nippon Foundation of Japan has provided more than 2.6 billion kip (US$300,000) to the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve access to education for people with disabilities.
A project agreement was signed in Vientiane on Wednesday by the Deputy Director of the External Relations Department, Ministry of Education and Sports, Mr Phouvanh Vongsouthi, and the President of the Nippon Foundation, Mr Takeju Ogata.
The five-year project will focus on Savannakhet province and Vientiane, where about 1,500 deaf and blind children live.
The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Nippon Foundation have agreed to work with local and international disabled persons’ organisations to uphold the right to equal access to education for children and students with disabilities, especially those who are deaf or blind.
The project has the following objectives: To improve the quality and relevance of the education system at all levels to create an environment that facilitates effective teaching-learning for children and students with disabilities; Facilitate the learning of sign language and promote the linguistic identities of the deaf community; and Build the capacities of key stakeholders, such as teachers, educational specialists, media and policy makers, on disability issues and inclusive education. 
Mr Phouvanh said cooperation with the Nippon Foundation will help the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve education for people with disabilities in Laos, and help to achieve targets.
“We hope that this cooperation will enable the Ministry of Education and Sports to learn about ethical teaching from experts at the Nippon Foundation and Asian Development with Disabled Persons (ADDP), to ensure that deaf and blind children can fulfil their right to equal access to education,” he added.
He thanked the Nippon Foundation for their assistance to people with disabilities in Laos. The project supports the Ministry of Education and Sports’ belief that all Lao people should receive universal quality education so they can develop the necessary skills to support themselves and their families.
The Nippon Foundation, which has been supporting people with disabilities in Asia for several decades, believes that ensuring equal access to education for children and students with disabilities is vital for them to achieve social inclusion, enrich their lives, and gain more opportunities to live life to the full.

By Siladda Souliyong
(Latest Update September 2, 2019)