France supports the modernisation of French teaching in Laos

Education is a key priority for France’s cooperation with Laos, with particular emphasis on teaching French as a gateway to globalisation.
The Lao-French bilingual program has been running since 1995, and today 3,174 pupils benefit from enhanced French-language teaching, in thirteen public primary and secondary schools located in the country’s main provinces: Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakxe and Luang Prabang.

One of the new roads built on Don Deth and Don Khone islands in Khong district, Champassak province.                         --Photo Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism

As part of its policy to support the Lao education system, the French Embassy is supporting the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports (MESL) in a new, innovative project modernising learning and teaching conditions in the Lao-French bilingual system.
To this end, an FSPI-R grant agreement was signed on May 23, 2023 by the French Embassy’s Cooperation and Cultural Action Service and the MESL’s General Education Department, to allocate a budget of seventy-six thousand euros (around 1,6 billion kips).
In line with the MESL’s five-year Education Sector Development Plan and the Lao PDR’s 9th Socio-Economic Development Plan (2021-2025), the French Embassy aims to modernise learning and teaching conditions within the Lao-French bilingual system, in order to improve access to quality bilingual education.
In addition to targeted renovation work based on the needs expressed by bilingual school directorates, the project includes the creation of new areas dedicated to francophone activities created by MODLAO interior designers, to accommodate pupils in bilingual classes during both learning and recess times.
Finally, Vientiane Modernist will organize exhibitions in each town on the architectural and heritage features of bilingual schools. 
This project will strengthen the capacity of the Lao-French bilingual network, as 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the France-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Association.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update July 14, 2023)