Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia strengthen internal pedagogical support to improve teaching quality

Assoc. Prof. Ms. Vongdeuane Osay, Director General, Department of Teacher Education (DTE), said: “IPS workshop 6 builds on the progress of previous training and responds to teachers’ evolving needs. It will equip IPS staff to help their peers to teach the Lao Language Grade 1 curriculum effectively, apply multigrade teaching strategies, and plan support for the 2025–26 school year. We are investing in teacher support because motivated, well-trained teachers are central to student learning success.”

The training includes ten detailed sessions over five days. It begins with an in-depth focus on Grade 1 Lao Language, including the importance of the lesson introduction and how to apply the new seven step approach for teaching sounds and writing. This is followed by a comprehensive, three-part module on multigrade teaching, where IPS staff will learn how to design, implement and support multigrade lesson delivery -essential in many remote Lao schools.

Participants will go on to focus on the new Spoken Lao teaching and learning approach, to develop teaching strategies that help students develop spoken Lao language communication skills.

Later sessions introduce the Teacher Self-Assessment Tool and Primary Teaching Standards, which IPS staff can use to help teachers identify learning needs and develop individual CPD plans. The workshop concludes with a focus on inclusive education and social norms, addressing how gender, age, and hierarchy can create barriers to accessing CPD, and how to foster inclusive school environments. The final session supports IPS to develop Semester 1 teacher support plans aligned with identified learning needs.

Ms. Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary, Australian Embassy, added: “Teachers are at the heart of education quality. Australia is proud to support the Government of Lao PDR’s innovative IPS system, which ensures that even teachers in remote schools receive regular, high-quality support. Strong professional support systems like the IPS system are vital for helping teachers stay motivated.”