VIENTIANE: National Assembly members have asked the government to speed up reform of the education system by addressing the teacher shortage, increasing student enrolment, and improving educational infrastructure.
The recommendations were made during an Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly last week, when members discussed the government’s report on education and efforts to improve all aspects of the education system.
National Assembly member for Savannakhet province, Xaypanya Phomvihane (pic), was one of the seven people who commented on the report, advising the government to review and amend laws and other legislation to clarify the scope of authority.
The Ministry of Education and Sports officials responded by saying that improvement of teaching quality and reducing student dropouts were part of the ministry’s 2026 development plan.
To increase student enrolment, the ministry plans to provide allowances for students from poor families, expand overall support, and strengthen learning opportunities for children.
The ministry is building student dormitories, libraries, and other essential facilities in rural areas to help improve access to education and reduce the barriers that prevent children from attending school and eventually dropping out.
To enhance teaching and learning, the ministry will also provide more technological equipment to schools, enabling students and teachers in rural areas to access modern educational resources and improve online learning.
In addition, the ministry will encourage supplementary learning activities during the summer break for preschool children, to help strengthen their foundational skills and better prepare them for primary education.
As part of the government’s ongoing efforts to ease the country’s chronic teacher shortage, more than 4,000 volunteer teachers were assigned civil servant status in 2025.
The decision to accept 4,234 volunteer teachers into the civil service was intended to address these long-standing challenges while also improving teacher morale, stability, and professionalism, the ministry said.
A revised salary and allowance structure for teacher civil servants was finalised by the Ministry of Finance and rolled out earlier this year. - Vientiane Times/ANN
