Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR and Australia collaborate to enhance continuing professional development opportunities for teachers

During the workshop DTE presented results and achievements on the implementation of school-based CPD to date and provided an overview of the CPD Guidelines’ purpose, structure and intended use. Participants engaged actively in offline group discussions to provide feedback on the guidelines and the approach for piloting them in 30 target districts. Participants were also informed of the process for further developing and finalising the guidelines, including focus group consultations with sub-national CPD system stakeholders. The second day of the workshop focused on collecting stakeholder feedback and agreeing on key revisions that will be made to the draft guidelines.

In an interview, Ms Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary, Australian Embassy reaffirmed the Australia’s commitment to supporting teacher development in Laos: “Quality teaching is at the heart of a strong education system. We are proud to support MoES in strengthening professional development opportunities for teachers through these CPD Guidelines. Those guidelines are a milestone for teacher development.” She also highlighted the urgency of strengthening CPD in the face of current challenges in the education sector: “The education sector is facing a critical challenge with teacher shortages, making professional development more important than ever. By strengthening CPD, we ensure that existing teachers receive the support they need to be effective in the classroom. This is why Australia remains committed to investing in teacher professional development as a key strategy to improve education quality in Laos.“

The revised CPD Guidelines, incorporating stakeholder input, will be finalised for approval and nationwide use by December 2025, providing all CPD system stakeholders with the key information and guidance they need for success.

Dr Daravone concluded that “How can we progress in a world that is constantly changing? It means we must adapt as well. That’s why educators can never stop improving. If we stop learning, we stop developing ourselves, we stop growing”.