(KPL) On 24^th September 2024, Ms. Benita Sommerville, Australia’s new Deputy Head of Mission and Mr. Anoulom Vilayphone, Director of the Research Institute of Educational Sciences (RIES) visited the film site of a gender promotion video.

They met with MoES teams in charge of the production from RIES and the Division for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children.

The video was filmed in a real primary school, with teachers and students acting out the scenes for the video.

Dr. Anoulom explained “The objective of the film is to raise awareness and give teachers advice on how to ensure gender equality in their classroom. The teachers play a critical role in creating a safe and gender responsive environment for their students. But they are not always aware of how to achieve this in practical ways. Sometimes teachers reproduce gender stereotypes without knowing. Filming in a real school with real teachers will help other teachers relate more to the messages in the video and how they apply to their own everyday classroom situations. In the video, we give teachers very practical strategies for ensuring boys and girls participate equally in learning.” 

Australia’s new Deputy Head of Mission and the Director of Research Institute for Educational Sciences, right, observes the filming of a gender equality video in a primary school. 

Ms. Sommerville said “Australia is proud to support the Ministry of Education and Sports through the BEQUAL programme 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 the 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.

Ms. Sommerville concluded “I am delighted to be here for my first visit to a primary school in Laos and to witness the results of Australia’s long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports. Together, we’re shaping a brighter and more inclusive future by investing in quality education for all children” 

BEQUAL is a programme led by the Ministry of Education and Sports, with support from the Australian Government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The programme focuses on enhancing educational outcomes for the nation's youth, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged. BEQUAL is focused on ensuring gender equality and promoting inclusive education across all activities.

KPL