Japan supports development of Lao teachers

Laos and Japan on Tuesday exchanged notes concerning grant aid to Laos to support the Project for the Improvement of Provincial Teacher Development Centres, following the Japan-Laos Summit Meeting in Japan.
Grant aid of up to 1.27 billion yen was authorised under the exchange of notes between the Ambassador of Japan to Laos, Mr Koizumi Tsutomu, and the Ambassador of Laos to Japan, Mrs Anlavan Phongsamouth.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his Japanese counterpart Ishiba Shigeru witnessed the exchange of notes after their meeting.
The Lao PM is on an official working visit to Japan from January 20 to 23 to enhance relations and mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 60th anniversary of Japan providing volunteer workers to Laos.
Improving the quality of basic education is a prerequisite for the development of human resources in Laos, improvement of the quality of the workforce, and for social and economic growth,
Strengthening teachers’ classroom skills is directly related to improving the quality of education and the government has identified this work as a priority.
Training for in-service teachers is conducted mainly at eight teacher training colleges across the country.
Provincial Teacher Development Centres are responsible for teacher training in provinces that do not have a teacher training college.
However, many Provincial Teacher Development Centres lack the necessary facilities and equipment to conduct training, making it difficult to strengthen the skills of in-service teachers.
The Project for the Improvement of Provincial Teacher Development Centres is expected to bolster the quality of education in Laos by improving the facilities and training equipment, such as projectors and sound systems, at centres in nine provinces.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone is on an official working visit to Japan from January 20 to 23 to enhance relations and mark the 70th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of Japan providing volunteer workers to Laos.
The two countries have also designated 2025 as the Year of Friendship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.
During their meeting, the Lao and Japanese prime ministers shared views on regional and international issues of common interest. They agreed to offer reciprocal support on the regional and international stages, particularly through the ASEAN-Japan and Mekong-Japan frameworks, as well as through the United Nations. 
The Lao side highlighted key areas of Japan’s assistance to Laos, in particular for human resource development, health, agriculture and forestry, infrastructure development and unexploded ordnance clearance. Japan was also a key supporter of Laos’ 2024 ASEAN chairmanship.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update January 24, 2025)