Mr. Khamsean

(KPL) Members of the National Assembly (NA) have urged the government to address pressing socio-economic challenges, particularly in education, investment, healthcare, national highway management, and enterprise reform.

During the 8th Ordinary Session of the 9th National Assembly on November 19, Mr. Khamsean Sisavong voiced concerns over the declining quality of education in Laos. While acknowledging some progress, he noted that Lao students are lagging behind their ASEAN peers in foreign languages and technology proficiency.

A major concern highlighted by Mr. Khamsean was the high dropout rate at all educational levels, from kindergarten to high school. He attributed this to economic pressures, labor shortages, and competition in the labor market. He called on the government to increase education funding, particularly for remote areas, and improve infrastructure, resources, and teacher support.

Mr. Khamsean advocated for significant reforms in secondary education, emphasizing the need for vocational training. He proposed integrating vocational subjects into secondary school exams and aligning higher education curricula with labor market demands to prepare skilled workers. He stressed that raising education standards to match international levels is crucial to equipping Lao students for the modern workforce.

Revenue management from mining projects was another focal point. Mr. Saychai Kommasith, a representative from Bokeo Province, expressed concerns over insufficient revenue collection. Despite the approval of over 1,000 companies and more than 1,200 mineral exploration and processing activities, revenue from these projects has decreased compared to 2023. He urged the government to report on projects that have been suspended or withdrawn from evaluation.

Mr. Saychai also addressed the issue of illegally imported vehicles, noting that over 5,800 such vehicles are present in the five northern provinces. He called on the government to collaborate with local authorities to resolve the problem.

Additionally, Bokeo representatives highlighted the need for embankment construction in northern and southern provinces to prevent infrastructure and home damage during the rainy season. In Bokeo, such projects face significant delays due to funding shortages.

Concerns over the education sector were echoed by Mr. Vorasith Sivongdao, a representative from Savannakhet Province. He emphasized the need for better monitoring and inspection, particularly in rural areas where primary dropout rates remain high, and urban areas where secondary dropout rates are prevalent due to economic pressures and migration for work.

Savannakhet Province, which has over 2,000 schools, faces a severe shortage of teachers, with only 8,000 teachers employed, including 1,600 volunteer teachers. On average, each school has just four teachers. Mr. Vorasith called for increased teacher recruitment to ensure at least one teacher per class, along with sufficient budget allocations.

He also highlighted challenges posed by the new curriculum, particularly in rural areas lacking kindergartens. Families in these areas often struggle financially, further hampering children's education. Mr. Vorasith urged curriculum revisions to better meet the needs of rural students and proposed alternative solutions if funding constraints persist.

KPL