Laos seeks to ensure all children finish primary school

Laos has set new nationwide enrollment targets amid efforts to ensure that more children complete primary school, according to discussions at the ongoing Lao National Assembly meeting on Thursday.

Lao Ministry of Education and Sports reported that national primary school enrollment rates have risen to 95.2 percent, up from 94.1 percent in the 2011-2012 academic year. The gap between male and female enrollment has also narrowed, from 7 percent to 2 percent.

An enrollment rate of 51 percent is the new target for the 3-5 age group, while for lower secondary schools the target is an enrollment rate of 85 percent, up from 82 percent, within 2017 or beyond, reported local Vientiane Times.

Currently 82 percent of all children attending primary school in Laos complete their studies, an increase from 79 percent last year. The ministry aims to raise this figure to 98 percent by the end of 2020 as one of the targets set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

To achieve the target, the ministry called on state and private school administrators and education officials across the country to step up efforts to address the challenges. While education has seen significant progress in recent years, greater efforts are essential to break through the barriers that still prevent many children, especially rural girls, from entering and staying in school. Endit