Some schools don’t have enough medical equipment, deputy minister says
 
Some schools in Laos don’t have enough medical equipment and can’t practise social distancing for the “Safely Back to School” programme amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Dr Kongsy Sengmany, briefed the local media about problems being faced in enforcing rules in schools across Laos. He said some schools don’t have enough medical equipment, such as masks and temperature monitors, and can’t put in place social distancing.
Dr Kongsy also called for an increase in distance education broadcasts on television to promote education in rural areas. He offered to organise training courses to develop the skills of teachers for online teaching on TV.

The challenges to distance education broadcasts include students in some areas being unable to access TV transmissions. This is happening because there are no TV signals in certain regions and some families don’t have television sets, especially in rural areas. The online content aims to provide learning opportunities and soften the impact of school closures on students, while lessening the risk of coronavirus infections. The programmes are available on television, radio, official Facebook pages and YouTube.
The media briefing on the theme “Safely Back to School” was held in Vientiane on Friday, and chaired by the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Savankhone Razmountry, and Dr Kongsy. It was attended by representatives of different media outlets, including television, radio, print and online media and mass media organisations. The objective of the briefing was to inform journalists about the government’s policies for education amid the Covid-19 outbreak and the campaign for teachers and students returning to school after classes were suspended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The campaign includes a briefing on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for children, learners, teachers, education staff, parents and caregivers. It also encourages media participation to promote the “Safely Back to School” campaign and ensures access to psychosocial support for people.

By Viengdavanh Banphahaksa
(Latest Update June 9, 2020)