Australia and the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR strengthen inclusive education through a Spoken Lao Stakeholder Forum

The Spoken Lao approach is an innovative initiative developed by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) with support from Australia through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program. The objective of the Spoken Lao approach is to help Grade One students from non-Lao speaking communities develop oral Lao language skills. Launched nationwide in September 2024, Spoken Lao lessons are now being implemented in classrooms across the country. By focusing on speaking and listening skills through student-centered activities and games, the Spoken Lao lessons lay the foundation for students who do not speak Lao at home to access the national primary curriculum and improve learning outcomes across all subjects. 

With the first year of nationwide implementation coming to an end, key stakeholders identified the need to reflect on lessons learned and define next steps. MoES, with support from the Australian Government, hosted a major Spoken Lao Stakeholder Forum on 16 July 2025. Mr Outhit Thipmany, Deputy Director General of the Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES), and Ms Kate Goodfruit, Acting First Secretary, Australian Embassy, officially opened the Forum. The event gathered around130 participants from key MoES departments, Provincial and District Education offices, and a wide range of development partners, including the World Bank, JICA, UNICEF, and several NGOs.

Mr Outhit Thipmany said, “This Spoken Lao Stakeholder Forum marks a critical opportunity for stakeholders to share lessons learned and shape the future directions of the Spoken Lao approach, including expansion to additional grades. We are seeing real impacts from the Spoken Lao lessons. More children from ethnic communities are participating confidently in class and are better prepared for reading and writing in Lao. This forum allows us to build on this momentum.”

Ms Kate Goodfruit added, “The Spoken Lao approach is a great example of how a successful pilot provided the evidence for the Lao government to confidently scale the approach to primary schools nationwide. The Spoken Lao approach is transforming the learning experience of thousands of children in urban, rural, remote and disadvantaged areas. Australia is proud to support the Ministry of Education with this initiative promoting inclusive education and better learning outcomes for children who have a home language other than Lao. This Forum is about celebrating progress and refining our vision for the future.”