Dropout students a continuing concern 

Students who drop out of school before finishing their course are an enduring problem for education departments across the country, said a Ministry of Education official yesterday.

Deputy Minister of Education Lytou Bouapao told the Vientiane Times by telephone that although there is cooperation with the authorities concerned, teachers should call for parents to support the education system by urging their children to attend classes, and that they should explain the importance of education.

Mr Lytou said the main obstacle was that many rural families are farmers on low incomes, and do not have enough money to pay for their children's education.

“A major problem is that children are leaving school unwillingly, to help their families with the farm work,” he said.

Mr Lytou explained that in the 2005-2006 academic year, more than 10,000 primary and secondary students left school unwillingly, out of a total of around 50,000 students.

“Another problem is that teachers still lack the ability to control children in the classroom and to keep track of absentees. They can't communicate with parents and the decreasing number of students in the middle of the year both in primary and secondary schools is a problem. Every concerned authority needs to address this quickly,” he said.

Another 1,200 of the 15,000 secondary school students dropped out of class because their parents wanted them to work on farms that were as much as 50km from school.

He said that since a meeting at the beginning of this year to discuss and review current problems in education, the ministry would now focus on developing plans for the next five years to address these issues.

“Business sectors and the public should help poor families by supplying free school materials, because many poor families in remote areas feel they cannot afford to send their children to school. They just play at home and help their parents with their work. This is generally why children drop out of school,” he said.

Mr Lytou said the ministry is currently focusing on encouraging and motivating children to come to school, as well as modifying the education system to raise standards and reach the targets set for the 2010 academic year.

“Although the number of primary and secondary school students decreased in some provinces a few years ago, in the 2006-2007 academic year the percentage of children aged six to eight attending schools across the country has reached around 85 percent. Our aim is for 90 percent of Lao children to be attending school by 2010,” he said.

In line with the country's development strategy and economic requirements, the ministry is committed to improving and developing the education system. 

By PHAISYTHONG CHANDARA
(Latest Update September 13, 2007)