Global education monitoring
Report Highlights: Evaluation of Australia’s investment in teacher development in Lao PDR: Final Report
Abstract
The Australian Government is supporting the Government of Lao PDR to undertake significant primary education reforms through its flagship Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR program (BEQUAL), including a new primary curriculum. Phase 1 of BEQUAL (2015-22) supported the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to rollout the new primary curriculum in schools, starting with Grade 1 (G1) in 2019. Specific teaching practices were introduced, including active learning, student-centred learning approaches, formative assessment, and a phonics approach to teaching reading. New practices were complemented by face-to-face orientation training and grants in BEQUAL target districts to strengthen communities of practice, self-access learning, monitoring visits, and teacher cluster meetings. Part of a multi-year study series, the Education Analytics Service (EAS) investigated how BEQUAL improved teaching quality and student learning outcomes.