Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia strengthen District Education and Sports Bureau capacity to manage continuing professional development support for teachers

Throughout October 2025, the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), with the support of the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program, is delivering a series of workshops on “Continuing Professional Development (CPD)” Management for District Education and Sports Bureau (DESB) staff.

Ms. Khampat Xayalinkham, Deputy Director General, Department of Teacher Education (DTE), said “These workshops are part of a series of capacity building inputs designed to equip DESB staff with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively plan and manage teacher CPD in their schools. This workshop consolidates and extends learning from previous technical inputs organised with the support of Australia through BEQUAL.”

Ms Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary, Australian Embassy, said “Australia is working closely with the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR to strengthen the teacher CPD system and increase the support provided to teachers. In the current context of teacher shortages, we believe this support is vital for keeping teachers motivated and improving teaching quality. Ultimately, this will contribute to better learning outcomes for students.”

Over 380 participants from 30 target DESBs from seven provinces (Phongsaly, Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Houaphan, Xiangkhouang, Khammouane and Savannakhet) will join one of the thirteen workshop groups. The key participants are directors, deputy directors, pedagogical support staff, and monitoring and evaluation staff from each DESB. The workshops are being led by DTE, and facilitators come from the seven target Provincial Education and Sports Services and the three target Teacher Training Colleges of Luang Namtha, Khang Khai, and Savannakhet.