Throughout the month of January, the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), with support from the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program will provide a fifth round of training for over 1,120 Internal Pedagogical Support (IPS) staff.  The IPS teams were established in March 2023 in 30 target districts in the provinces of Phongsaly, Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Houaphan, Xiangkhouang, Khammouane and Savannakhet. They are composed of primary teachers and principals who were selected for their primary teaching experience, subject knowledge, pedagogical skills, commitment to quality improvement and motivation to support fellow teachers. The IPS teams reflect the diversity of the teacher workforce in the target areas: 53% are female and 42% are from non-Lao speaking background. IPS staff provide ongoing support to teachers in their own and nearby schools through regular visits, video calls and WhatsApp messages. They use a variety of continuing professional development (CPD) approaches such as co-teaching, classroom observation, one-to-one training using Teacher Support Pack modules, and watching Teacher Development Videos.

Assoc. Prof. Ms Vongdeuane Osay, acting Director General, Department of Teacher Education (DTE), said “This workshop is the fifth in a series designed to train IPS staff to carry out their roles in the new school-based continuing professional development system. During the workshop, the IPS teams will prepare teacher support plans for next semester, and they will be trained on techniques to support teachers with the key challenges they face such as teaching Lao Language, teaching non-Lao speaking students and classroom management.”

Ms Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary, Australian Embassy said “Through the IPS system, the Ministry of Education and Sports support over 8,000 primary teachers in disadvantaged areas. In the current context of declining enrolments and teacher shortages this support is key to making a difference in teacher retention and teaching quality. Ultimately this will contribute to better learning outcomes for students. Australia strongly believes that better teaching and learning builds Lao PDR’s human capital and we are honoured to work closely with the Ministry of Education and Sports towards this goal.”