Flagship project
Strengthening education and skills systems for inclusive and green growth in Lao PDR
Building stronger education and skills systems in Lao PDR to expand opportunities, reduce disparities, and prepare young people for a changing economy.
The challenge
Lao PDR's education sector faces persistently low learning outcomes, declining participation in secondary education and TVET, and significant disparities affecting rural, remote, ethnic minority and disadvantaged learners. The sector also faces constrained public financing, teacher capacity gaps, weak labour-market relevance of TVET, and the need to strengthen planning, budgeting, monitoring, data systems and sector coordination for effective implementation of the ESSSDP 2026–2030.
Our goal
Strengthen the institutional, technical and managerial capacities of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to implement priority reforms under the ESSSDP 2026–2030 and TVET Development Plan 2026–2030, contributing to improved equitable access, learning outcomes, education sector performance and labour-market-relevant skills for Lao youth.
Our approach
Provide advisory technical assistance to MoES at central, provincial and district levels. Support selected priority reforms in general education, TVET and sector governance – including system restructuring, targeted scholarships, teacher continuous professional development, TVET quality assurance, private sector engagement, labour market information, public financial management, results-based budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, education information systems, and sector coordination. The assistance complements EU budget support and other development partner programmes.
Impact in numbers
The project is in its early implementation phase, with initial efforts focused on laying the groundwork for delivery. During inception, the technical assistance team was mobilised, extensive consultations were held with MoES departments, development partners, and sector stakeholders, and a comprehensive review of policy documents and reform priorities was completed. This resulted in an inception report and implementation plan covering three strategic objectives and nine outputs. The project has already supported a PESIG Budget Support Technical Committee meeting, contributing technical analysis, presentations, and reporting on education sector budget support monitoring. Planning has also progressed for key reforms in general education, TVET, education financing, monitoring and evaluation, and sector coordination. As a capacity-development initiative, its main outcomes are expected to emerge progressively, through stronger institutional systems, improved policy implementation, enhanced coordination mechanisms, and more evidence-based decision-making across the education sector.
Key highlights
- Established a comprehensive reform support framework aligned with the ESSDP 2026–2030 and TVET Development Plan 2026–2030
- Technical support for analysis and planning of the transition from a 5-4-3 to a 6-3-3 education structure
- Evaluation and redesign of targeted scholarship and stipend mechanisms for disadvantaged learners
- Development of national strategies, planning tools, financing mechanisms, and monitoring systems for teacher continuous professional development
- Support for TVET reform coordination, quality assurance, teacher development, labour market information use, and TVET Development Fund implementation planning
- Creation of mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between MoES, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the National Training Council, and private sector partners
- Capacity building for education planning, budgeting, Results-Based Management, monitoring, and evaluation
- Support for ESSDP Mid-Term Review preparation, Joint Sector Reviews, and sector policy dialogue
- Strengthening use of education management information systems, including LESMIS and RBMIS
- Technical support for governance and coordination through the Education and Sports Sector Working Group
Impressions
