.Education
In the realm of education the Party and Government pay attention to two aspects: the first is to build political and socialist ideology and awareness of the laws and regulations of the country; the second is to build people with excellence in professions and techniques, in order to gradually catch up with the world community. Moreover, the goal is also to expand the educational system in order to create a society of wise people with good morals and skills in the sciences, arts, sport and labour, and combine the education in school with the education in the home and society at large.
Over the past 30 years the education networks have expended widely at all levels from childcare to university. The education system in both the state and private sectors has increased in quality and the curriculum and teaching have both improved. The teacher shortage and non-qualified teacher issues have been resolved through heightening their roles. At the same time teachers have been guaranteed suitable recompense in line with their enhanced responsibilities. Libraries, data and information and textbook supplies have gradually improved. Vocational schools, universities, some high schools, provincial education offices and departments of the Ministry of Education have been computerised and in the present time an Internet connection is under development in order to better manage data and information in the education sector. Educational infrastructure, particularly training centres, laboratories, technical facilities and other necessary buildings have been constructed and are able to meet the demands of students and teachers.
Nationally, there are now 967 nurseries and kindergartens, including 136 private, an 11.5 percent increase compared with the previous year. There are 2,679 crèche attendants and kindergarten instructors and 45,166 pupils, an 8.2 percent increase, compared with the previous year. The enrolment rate reached 8.17 percent, a 0.07 percent increase towards the 9.0 percent target.
There are 12,438 primary schools in the country, including 184 private and 10 schools for monks, a 0.9 percent increase compared with the previous year. There are 27,618 teachers, including 772 working for the private schools, 890,821 students, including 369 monks and 21,020 private school students, a 0.7 percent increase compared with the previous year. Nationally, the average classroom contains 31 students, while the ratio of students to teachers is 32:1.
There are 952 secondary schools nationwide (638 lower secondary, 30 upper secondary and 284 combined), including three ethnic boarding schools, 34 private and 34 schools for monks. The number of secondary schools has increased by 2.8 percent compared with the previous year. There are 14,637 teachers, including 305 private school teachers, 297 monk teachers and 144 pedagogic advisors, a 4.65 percent increase compared with the previous year. There are 388,053 students, including 6,198 private secondary school students, a 3.51 percent increase compared with the previous year. The average lower secondary school classroom has 47 students, while the average upper secondary school classroom has 55. The student teacher ration across high school classes is 27:1.
There are now 10 pedagogical schools (with the exception of the National University of Laos, Champassak University and Souphanouvong University), including five pedagogic colleges, three schools to train crèche attendants and kindergarten instructors, one school to train fine arts teachers and one school to train physical education teachers. There are 616 teachers and 17,635 students at these institutions. 3,346 students in their final year, including students in the Faculty of Education, are now preparing to be teachers. Nationally, there are 44 technical and vocational schools, including 11 private schools and 19 schools under other ministries. There are 1,230 teachers and 24,264 students in these schools, including 2,902 in their final year.
There are now 33 universities and colleges across the country, including 27 private colleges, a 33 percent increase compared with the previous year. There are 1,702 teachers, a 6.86 percent increase compared with the previous year, and 39,921 students, including 24,634 students in the private colleges. Besides the normal educational system, there is the special system of the National University of Laos where 12,249 students study for higher diplomas and bachelor degrees. Some officials and students have also been sent abroad in order to further their education in specific areas.
When compared with 2003-2004, the education sector has greatly expanded; both in quantity and quality. The number of students in the pedagogic schools has increased 29.46 percent, the number of vocational school students is up 22.73 percent and the number of university students has risen by 41.44 percent. Two faculties of the National University of Laos, Economics and Management and Natural Sciences, have commenced Master degree courses.

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