French project helps Lao school children make the grade

Pre-school and primary children in Huaphan and Borikhamxay provinces and rural Vientiane look set to benefit after a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on early education development was signed yesterday.

Mr Chaleun Souvong (left) shakes hands with Mr Ounheuane Saphakdy (right) after signing the agreement.

The Ministry of Education’s Department of Primary and Pre-school Education and Aide et Action Laos signed the agreement to co-implement the project.

The grant for the Early Childhood Care and Education Project worth 6 billion kip (715,597 Swiss Francs) has been provided by the UBS OPTIMUS Foundation through Aide et Action Laos.

The purpose of the project is to improve access to and the quality of early childhood care and education for vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Huaphan and Borikhamxay provinces and suburban districts of Vientiane.

Children from 30 pre-schools and 30 primary schools from the target areas will benefit from the project.

Primary and Pre-school Education Department Director General Mr Chaleun Souvong and Aide et Action Country Programme Coordinator Mr Ounheuane Saphakdy signed the agreement.

Heads and deputy heads from the provincial Education and Sports Departments from the target provinces and other guests witnessed the signing.

The three-year project from 2011-14 will begin 30 days after the agreement was signed.

Mr Ounheuane said the project would focus on the promotion of basic education for all, particularly young children.

“It is not a new project because in previous years a similar project promoting reading activities produced good results, and the project will uphold government targets for early childhood care and education,” he said.

Aide et Action is an international non-governmental development organisation based in Paris, France, focusing on promoting education for all with a special focus on early education.