Laos | Education | Save the Children International

Education

With more than two decades of implementation in Laos, Save the Children International in Laos has been working hand-in-hand with the Government of Laos to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal – SDG 4: Quality Education by 2030. Our primary focus centers on enabling access to quality and equitable education for all, accelerating foundation learning, and improving learning outcomes nationwide, especially for the children most impacted by inequality and discrimination.

Our approach draws from Save the Children’s proven models, which have been successfully implemented in diverse global settings, and are informed by evidence-based expertise in addressing the barriers faced by children from various sociocultural backgrounds.

Nout demonstrates her reading skills to her mother. Nout receives scholarship support through a GPE-funded program, helping her continue her education in lower secondary school.

Expanding Our Impact Through Strategic Initiatives

Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI)

The Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI) integrates climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into the national education system. In Lao PDR, it translates school safety into practical, school-level actions that reduce disruptions caused by climate and environmental risks. CSESI supports:

Development of climate-responsive teaching and training materials

Curriculum revision to incorporate sustainability and resilience

Capacity building for teachers and education authorities

Equipping students with knowledge and skills for climate resilience

This initiative builds on the Lao Safe School (LSS) project (2021–2025), which strengthened the capacity of teachers and education officials to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate resilience into education system. The CSESI is funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in collaboration with Save the Children, UNESCO and UNESCO-IIEP. The Initiative supports governments to strengthen the resilience of education systems in the face of climate change, with a focus on safeguarding access to quality learning for the most vulnerable children.

Foundational Learning Improvement Project (FLIP)

The Foundational Learning Improvement Project (FLIP) is an initiative led by the Ministry of Education and Sports and funded by the Global Partnership for Education, with Save the Children serving as the grant agent. Implemented from July 2025 to December 2028 across nine disadvantaged districts, FLIP aims to:

Expand access to quality early childhood education
Strengthen foundational learning outcomes in primary education
Support smooth transition to lower secondary education

Key highlights include:

Improved teacher development systems and learning materials
Scholarships for 800 girls to stay in school
School readiness support for at least 960 girls transitioning to lower secondary
Girls’ Clubs supporting over 1,500 girls to build social-emotional and life skills

Through FLIP, we aim to ensure all children—especially the most disadvantaged—gain the foundational skills they need to thrive.

What We Do Best

Save the Children localizes and uses our Literacy Boost, Ready to Learn, and Safe School approaches to integrate into and address the priority issues of Lao education. For instance, the current financial conditions have led to a rise in drop-out rate, low learning performance, inadequate teaching and learning materials, insufficient teacher professional development, and less awareness of value of education in disadvantaged and remote locations.

Save the Children has successfully implemented all literacy and safe school programmes in Laos through 4 key components to accelerate foundational learning skills of early childhood and primary education:

Institutionalize teacher professional development with a play-based and learner-centered approach by integrating Literacy Boost enablers and activities in the Lao National Curriculum through a reinforcement of the Ministry of Education and Sports’ systematic platform such as coaching and monitoring sessions, peer learning circle, online learning initiatives with ICT, etc.
Create, develop, and distribute quality teaching and learning materials concerning gender equality and social inclusion, particularly ethnic minority aspects, children with disability, visual reading materials, toys, and so on to enrich learning space both in school and at home.
Mobilize community engagement by strengthening leadership of local authorities through simple and fun activities outside school such as Parental Education Workshop, Reading Corner, Reading Camp, Reading Buddies, Reading Festivals, Child Clubs, etc.
Generate evidence from the impact evaluation of interventions with the comprehensive tools used worldwide for student and school assessment such as International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA), Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), School Safety Self-Assessment Suite (SSSAS) to advocate the reform of educational policies.

Teacher is helping student reading the storybook_LtR Project

Future Forwards

Acknowledging the financial challenges facing the education sector in Laos, Save the Children has embarked on a mission to collaboratively transform the educational landscape in partnership with both national and sub-national government bodies. Our goal is to make the education system more child-friendly, participatory, secure, and resilient to various hazards, ensuring access to quality learning for every child in Laos.

As part of our innovative approach, Save the Children has initiated a Digital Classroom pilot program, employing tablets to enhance the literacy and numeracy skills of non-Lao speaking students. Our intention is to expand this program to reach a broader spectrum, including ethnic minority groups and children with disabilities. By doing so, we aim to accumulate tangible evidence of the positive impacts achieved, enabling us to advocate for policy reforms and prioritize the educational needs of these marginalized children, thereby ensuring no child is left behind.