Australia and Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR promote gender equality in the classroom

Ms. Sommerville said “Australia is proud to support the Ministry of Education and Sports through the BEQUAL program with this awareness raising campaign. This initiative is an example our ongoing commitment to inclusive education and ensuring all students, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or ability, have the opportunity to thrive in school.”

While at the school, Ms. Sommerville and Dr. Anoulom also visited classes being taught using the curriculum revised with Australia’s support. The revision of the national primary curriculum was a massive endeavor that started in 2015. It included the development and nationwide distribution of new textbooks, teacher guides, and supplementary teaching and learning resources as well as the training and support of all primary teachers across the country. The revised curriculum promotes inclusion through content and imagery that challenges harmful norms and stereotypes about gender and disability. The roll out of the revised curriculum started in September 2019 with grade one and is now complete with the revised grade five materials being used in classrooms since September 2023.

Ms. Sommerville said “One of the major achievements of Australia’s support to the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR is the development and nationwide implementation of the revised national primary curriculum. It has significantly transformed primary education in Laos by introducing a student-centered, active learning teaching approach for the first time and equipping students with essential 21^st-century skills.”

The revised curriculum adopts a new way of teaching that facilitates student engagement in learning. Students learn by participating in the classroom, helping each other and experimenting through activities and reflecting on what they were doing. The delegation was pleased to see students collaborating, engaging with the materials, and experiencing hands-on learning.