Category: Technology

Director General of the Research Institute for Educational Sciences of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Onekeo Nuannavong representing the ministry received video production equipment from Australia government on Tuesday.

This video equipment package includes filming and sound equipment, as well as IT materials for a total value of AU$36,000 (approx. 375 million kip).

“On behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports I would like to thank the Australia government for your support and this equipment will be used by MOES’ Information Media Centre (IMC) of the Research Institute for Educational Sciences to produce practices,” said Director General of RIES, Dr Onekeo Nuannavong.

“The role of media and communications is key to supporting the changes introduced with the new curriculum. Thanks to Australia’s support through the BEQUAL programme, we have been able to raise awareness of, advocate for, and showcase best practices such as active learning, student-centered pedagogy, teacher education and training, as well as inclusive education and women’s empowerment,” said Mr Sousakhone Sipaseuth, Director of Information Media Centre.

The Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) and the Government of Australia have a strong partnership in education sector development, including the development of a wide range of communications activities with MOES’ Information Media Centre (IMC) to support successful implementation of the new primary curriculum.

Ms. Anna Dyason, first secretary of the Australian Embassy congratulated the IMC team for the progress on women’s empowerment “I am pleased to see the women in the team are also behind the camera and at the editing station, and not only coordinating and in front of the camera. Thanks to IMC leadership and the training workshops, the women in the team are now taking on more responsibility and undertaking a technical role in media production.”

Australia, through the BEQUAL programme, has been providing strong support and capacity development to the IMC team with a series of training events on filming, editing, after effect and sound recording techniques. 50 per cent of the participants were women and three of them did not have previous experience with editing.

IMC is also progressive in inclusive education. All the videos produced with Australia’s support are dubbed in Lao Sign Language. Discussions on how to avoid gender, disability and ethnicity stereotypes and promote inclusion are included in briefing, script writing and casting stages of every production. Recently, IMC launched a new docuseries “the Role Model” to promote best teaching and inclusive education practices around Laos. It is based on interviews with teachers or trainers with exceptional teaching or inclusion practices that can inspire others.

“Australia is honored to support IMC in its task to inform, motivate and engage the different education stakeholders involved in the new curriculum Implementation. I am looking forward to increased collaboration between IMC and the Government of Australia through BEQUAL Phase 2 to support new approaches in school-based continuing professional development,” said MS. Anna Dyason.

The programs produced by IMC can be watched every day on Education and Sports TV on Lao Sat Channel 8 -The Role Model docuseries is also accessible on the “Teacher Development Videos” You Tube Channel.

Source: Lao News Agency

Department of Planning and Cooperation (DOPC) and Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives (DAEC) co-hosted the policy dialogue on “Maximizing benefits of agriculture exports from Lao PDR”, which was organized under the framework of EU funded project entitled “Developing Capacities in Agriculture Innovation Systems: Scaling up a Tropical Agriculture Platform Framework” (TAP AIS) at the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Vientiane on Sept 6.

The dialogue was chaired by the Director General of the DAEC, Mr. Somxay Sisanonh, and co-chaired by Deputy Director General, Dr. Phommy Inthichack, FAO Representative to the Lao PDR, Mr. Nasar Hayat, and Programme Manager of the EU Delegation to the Lao PDR, Mr. Inpone Senekhamty.

The TAP-AIS is global project funded by and a part of the larger European Union Initiative “Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA): Towards climate-relevant agricultural and knowledge innovation system”. The project has been implementing at global, regional and country levels, in nine countries. Three in Asia (Cambodia, the Lao PDR and Pakistan), five in Africa (Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Malawi, Rwanda and Senegal); and one in Latin America (Colombia) from August 2019 to July 2023.

In the Lao PDR, the project works with multi stakeholders aiming to contribute to promoting climate-relevant, productive and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems through developing capacities to innovate at national level.

The objective of this important event is to bring policy and decision makers together to provide insights and direction on how to maximize benefits from export of agriculture products by Lao stallholder farmers.

As an input to this national policy dialogue, with technical assistance from FAO TAP-AIS, DAEC hosted multi-stakeholder dialogue on 22 June 2022, followed by technical discussions with technical departments, private sectors and farmers. The results from those are the policy recommendations and policy brief, which were shared and discussed in this dialogue to guide a way forward for increased collaboration to facilitate and enable rural producers to benefit from export markets.

The policy dialogue was attended by a dynamic group of stakeholders with representatives from key departments of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, relevant Ministries, farmer organization, development partners, private sectors, academia, and relevant actors in agriculture value chain in Lao PDR. The dialogue was also made available virtually for those who could not attend but were eager to contribute for a fruitful discussion.

Key messages from the policy dialogues are:

Most Lao agriculture exports are unprocessed products for which smallholder farmers receive less economic value than traders and processors, who produce brand name items.

Lao products are not competitive, current farming systems cannot ensure consistency of quality products and regular supplies for export markets; production certification and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) are critical for agriculture export.

Sustainable agriculture practices will help produce more with less with an aim to reduce post-harvest loses, labor saving technologies, low input cost, etc.

Attracting more investment in the manufacturing of agriculture inputs including fertilizer and animal feed, there is a greater need to improve the agribusiness environment and the efficient application of regulations.

Strengthening relevant capacities of smallholder farmers and their organizations would enable them to benefit from the agri-food system transformation, commercialization and access to markets.

Coordination and collaboration among government departments, public and private institutions, investors and farmers are key to addressing export issues e.g. high production cost, export procedures, and enabling all stakeholders, including farmers, to mutually benefit from partnership.

Lack of evident based research and studies to provide analysis and policy options to address issues involving different actors. It is beyond the mandate of the agriculture sector to address these issues alone especially high production costs and coordination among key actors.

Developing capacities of key organizations and improving the policy environment can strengthen Lao agriculture innovation systems and drive the transformation of agri-food systems. Building on experience and achievement on agriculture export, Lao could realize its unexploited export potential in agriculture products by more effectively implementing policies to improve the agribusiness environment and the application of quality and safety standards.

The policy dialogue was successfully completed with fruitful discussions and contents and with policy recommendations by DOPC and closing remark by the chair, Mr. Somxay Sisanonh, the DG of DAEC.

Source: Lao News Agency

Today, Sengchanh, Seo, Mone, Loy and Phouvieng: the five young women from Sepone District, Savannakhet Province who received three months of intensive hospitality training at Crowne Plaza hotel concluded with great success.

They attended classes at Pakpasak Technical College to acquire vocational skills in food products preparation and learn how to run small entrepreneurship projects. BFL Bank provided for them financial literacy and basic accounting training, while the Vientiane Youth Center briefed them on sexual reproductive health services that include hotline counselling to adolescent and young people. They leave, ready to establish their own small business back in Sepon district, Savannakhet Province.

This initiative took place thanks to partnership between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Crowne Plaza as part of the UNFPA work with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) within the comprehensive “Noi ecosystem”. The Noi framework engages different stakeholders and partners including the private sector for sustainable economic development in the Lao PDR, focusing on empowerment of adolescent girls and young women.

“Innovative public private partnerships between the MOES, UNFPA and Crowne Plaza to support Nang Noi Girls in their path towards empowerment shows us the great returns of coordinated, complementary interventions. This is essential for realising sustainable development,” said Ms Mariam Khan, UNFPA Representative to the Lao PDR.

The Lao PDR within ASEAN, has the highest proportion of early marriage and highest adolescent birth rate. Nearly 1 in 5 girls aged 15-19 are married and more than 1 in 10 have begun childbearing. This combined with high rates of school drop outs exacerbated by COVID-19, leaves girls with reduced future opportunities.

“Through partnership with UNFPA, the MoES is running projects targeting the empowerment of adolescent girls in poor villages. We support them to acquire life skills as well as vocational skills in order to ensure a better life and a better future to them and their families,” said Mr. Sisana Boupha, Director General of Non-Formal Education, MOES.

Crowne Plaza hotel’s responsible business plan “Journey to tomorrow” emphasises the role of the private sector in supporting the local efforts to build a resilient future for the population, increase development opportunities and secure the wellbeing of vulnerable women and girls. The leadership of Crowne Plaza is a model that can inspire other companies in the Lao PDR.

“In a young country such as Lao PDR, all sectors must stand by youth to help them learn, develop their skills, receive new opportunities for learning and growing and entering the workforce with confidence, great ideas and strong support. We were very glad to welcome Nang Noi Mentors to Crowne Plaza. This is just the beginning,” said Ms Patria Puyat, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Vientiane expressed her full support.

Soon, the second batch of participants in vocational skills training will arrive at Crowne Plaza. Crowne Plaza will facilitate product placements and market access for all the young women.

“My friends and I learnt how to make different types of food that people like to order in a restaurant. With my experience, I am now confident to open a restaurant of my own, using the skills and equipment that Crowne Plaza offered to us and the financial skills that I learnt from BFL. I am sure I will do well. Crowne Plaza team helped us to design our business plan and our logos to start our cooking projects,” said Ms. Seo, one of the Nang Noi Mentors.

Source: Lao News Agency

Nam Ngum 1 Hydropower station expansion project was officially opened to generate electricity.

The Grand Opening Ceremony of Nam Ngum Hydropower Station expansion Project was held at Keo-oudom district, Vientiane province on August 27, in presence of Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Sonxay Sipandon, Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr Davong Phonkeo, Ambassador of Japan to Lao PDR Mr. Kenichi Kobayashi and officials concerned.

Director General of Electricite du Laos Mr. Chanthaboun Souk-Aloun said that the Nam Ngm 1 hydropower station expansion project is to increase power supply capacity for peak load by expanding the existing Nam Ngum 1 hydropower expansion station, thereby contribute to improving international power balance, this project has received a concessional loan from the Japanese government. The project consists of drilling the existing dam to install a water pipeline, expanding the old mill to the side and installing a new 40 MW power plant.

The project has hired a joint consulting company Nippon Koei & J-Power & LCG, started working from April 2014 onwards by making a detailed design for construction and controlling the field construction until completion and contracted with Hazama Ando Corporation for construction and installation of mechanical works (Civil and Hydromechanical Works).

The project started to work in August 2017 and finished in December 2021.

Source: Lao News Agency

Ministry of Energy and Mines says that residents in Feuang District are advised to move their possessions to higher ground as the Nam Lik 1-2 Company prepares to release water, according to a notice of ministry on 16 Aug.

Campgrounds, bungalows and entertainment venues along Nam Lik River must close for visitors until further notice from the Ministry.

The Nam Lik 1-2 Power Company anticipates that the water will rise to the dam’s capacity of 300 meters.

Source: Lao News Agency

Six students of the Lao International School (LIS) have won four gold medals and two congratulation prizes at the 3rd USA Copernicus International Olympiad in New York on July 19-22, according to Ministry of Education and Sports.

LIS’s math teacher, Mr. Hikmet Saisoda, told on August 12 that their students have participated in the 3rd USA Copernicus International Olympiad on July 19-22 in New York, drawing 1,531 students from international schools 26 countries. This is first year that representatives of Laos can pass through the final competition.

Four gold medalists are year three lower secondary school students: Mr. Nonthakan Thipphavong, Ms. Soudsakone Visathip, Mr. Xayarat Raspol and Mr. Yaudanan Banchit (year two secondary school student) and year three lower secondary school students Ms. Alisa Duangkeomani and Mr. Thanasap Thipphavong have received congratulation prizes.

The competition of Copernicus Olympiad is held yearly, which began from January to July with competitions of the physics, astronomy, science, Cyber security and film festival

Source: Lao News Agency