Ban Phao School is one of many
rural schools in Laos in need of urgent attention. Located in Ban Phao,
Paknguem District, 67km from Vientiane, classrooms in this school were
built more than 20 years ago from local materials donated by the families of
the village. Accommodating 300 students, this school is full to capacity, forcing students to continue using these classrooms as a place of learning.
Over time, as a result of both age and weather, the classrooms have become unsafe and
inadequate for the student population. This has led the village authorities,
parents, students and teachers to request assistance from SEDA to renovate and equip the school.
Education in Laos is compulsory until the age of 12, with many students
progressing to high school, and university enrollments have been rapidly
expanding over the last decade. However without a safe place to learn,
children in Ban Phao and other rural villages are denied the basic right of
early education and the opportunity to enroll in tertiary education.
The heart of social change begins in the classroom.
Laos experiences a significant gender
disparity in education, one that increases with the level of schooling.
There are considerably more male than female students, reflecting gender
biases that are deeply ingrained in Lao society: men are seen as destined
for the opportunity of advanced education while women are relegated to
household work. This also reflects the limited financial means of families
and the assumption that investment in the male child’s advanced education
will reap greater rewards. With almost half the students in Ban Phao village
being girls, it is critical that this school, and others like it, be
transformed into a prospering place of education so that all
children, regardless of gender, are encouraged to learn, go on to university
and make a difference within their own communities.
Visit our
Global Giving page for more information and to contribute directly to the
renovation of Ban Phao School.
