The Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES) and Australia, through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) Program and Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES), held a four-day “Gender Video Script Writing” workshop from 18^th to 21^st of June 2024. The objective was to produce a video to raise awareness and give teachers advice on how to ensure gender equality in the classroom.  Representatives from RIES, the Division for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children, and the Australian Embassy joined the workshop to collaboratively write the script.

The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Government of Australia have a strong partnership supporting the education sector, including the production of a wide range of digital, video and media materials for educators. The materials are developed by the E-Learning and the Information and Media Center (IMC) teams within RIES. The training sessions help participants improve their ability to promote gender equality and avoid gender stereotypes in the content and imagery of digital and media resources we create. During this workshop will work together to write the first gender equality promotion video for teachers produced by the Ministry.

Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary, Australian Embassy said “Australia’s commitment to gender equality in Laos is a key part of our support for education. In the BEQUAL program, this commitment encompasses promoting gender and disability-inclusive practices through the primary curriculum revision and ongoing support for teachers’ professional development. This ensures a comprehensive approach to inclusive education that benefits all students, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or ability. I am delighted to be there today to open this Gender Video Script Writing workshop.”