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The Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), in partnership with the Australian Government, is producing a series of awareness-raising videos aimed at strengthening child protection and safeguarding practices in schools across the country.
When children feel safe, they learn better and thrive
From 16–19 February 2026, MoES and Australia, through the Basic Education Quality and Access in the Lao PDR (BEQUAL) Program, are convening a four-day “Child Protection and Safeguarding Script Writing” workshop. The workshop brings together media and video production teams from the Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES), MoES’ Division for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children, the Department of Teacher Education, the Inclusive Education Division of the Department of General Education, and representatives from the Australian Embassy in Laos.
Mr Michael Currie, First Secretary, Australian Embassy and Ms Manoly Dongvan opened the workshop
The video initiative builds on MoES’ Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidelines for Educators, developed with support from the Australian Government and officially launched in July 2024. A one-and-a-half-day training held last year for MoES media teams laid a practical foundation on the “do’s and don’ts” of child protection and informed the design of the current scriptwriting workshop.
Ms. Manoly Dongvan, Deputy Director General of RIES, said that collaboration between RIES and the Department for the Advancement of Women last year resulted in the successful production of the video “Gender Equality in the Classroom,” which was well received. Building on that success, the department proposed producing a second video based on the Child Protection and Safety Guidelines for Education Workers. The final product will be disseminated through Education TV, the Khang Panya Lao platform, the Teacher Development YouTube channel, and social media channels to reach teachers nationwide.
The video is based on the Child Protection and Safeguarding guidelines launched by MoES in July 2024
Mr. Michael Currie, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy, emphasized that teachers play a vital role not only in delivering lessons but also in creating safe learning environments where children can thrive. He noted that Australia is proud to have supported MoES in developing official Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidelines and is pleased to continue the partnership through this video project. He reaffirmed Australia’s strong commitment to upholding children’s rights and its zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation, abuse, and harm, supported by its child protection policy first introduced in 2008 and updated last year.
The workshop features practical exercises, including scenario development, role-play to prepare for directing actors, and guidance on consent and privacy protocols for filming. Trainers will emphasize culturally appropriate, non-graphic portrayals and approaches that encourage positive, protective action rather than blame.
BEQUAL is a Lao Government-led program supported by the Australian Government and the United States Government. The initiative focuses on improving educational outcomes for young people, particularly those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, while promoting gender equality and inclusive education across all program activities.
KPL
