Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

PM urges nationwide support for education as school year begins

The Prime Minister has urged the entire nation to come together to support the education, science, and sports sectors as the 2025-2026 academic year formally began on September 1.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, on behalf of Party and government leaders, delivered a message to extend greetings and best wishes to all educators, students, and education officials at all levels and in all sectors, both public and private. 
He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to education by making it a priority and placing people at the centre of national development.
He observed that education plays a vital role in ensuring that citizens are equipped with knowledge, skills, morality, discipline, legal awareness, and physical and mental well-being.
Education is key to fostering a love of learning and building a high-quality workforce that matches the country’s development needs.
At the same time, the Prime Minister acknowledged the many challenges that affected the education, science, and sports sectors over the past academic year.
But despite these difficulties, significant progress has been made, he said.
Achievements include the improvement of educational infrastructure, the provision of school lunches for students in preschool and general education, the promotion of inclusive education, and the provision of stipends to students at various levels.
Efforts have also been made to reduce the school dropout rate and to improve the quality of teaching and learning across all levels of education.
Greater emphasis has been placed on research and innovation, with improvements made in the quality and relevance of research outputs. Physical exercise has been encouraged among the general population, and participation in competitive sports has advanced.
Lao athletes have achieved notable successes in international competitions, reflecting the progress made through the joint efforts of administrators, educators, and institutions.
Looking ahead to the new school year, the Prime Minister called on all sectors of society to play a part in resolving challenges such as rising dropout rates, the shortage of qualified teachers, and declining enrolment in vocational and higher education.
He urged education leaders at all levels to take greater responsibility in ensuring that schools operate effectively in line with the Five New Education Principles.
He also emphasised the importance of improving school environments and promoting sports, arts, and culture to enhance student engagement.
Teachers were encouraged to focus on professional development, apply innovative teaching methods, and make more use of information and communication technology tools as well as Artificial Intelligence.
The Prime Minister called for a strong sense of responsibility, honesty, and adherence to professional ethics among educators to ensure that Lao students are well-prepared to compete in a modern, fast-changing world.
Parents were reminded of their duty to support their children’s education by encouraging school attendance at least through the end of compulsory education up to Grade 4 of secondary school.
The Prime Minister emphasised that parental involvement is now a direct and essential responsibility in ensuring student success.
Students were encouraged to work diligently to broaden their knowledge, both in school and independently, to respect school rules, and to strive to become good learners, respectful children, and responsible citizens.
The Prime Minister also called upon all Party and state organisations, mass organisations, businesses, local communities, and parent-teacher associations to create a supportive environment for students.
He stressed that education is not the responsibility of the education sector alone, but of all segments of society.
Concluding his address, Prime Minister Sonexay expressed the hope that the 2025-2026 school year would be a success and achieve its intended goals, laying a stronger foundation for national development.
On Monday, schools across the country officially began the 2025-2026 academic year amid a vibrant atmosphere.
In Vientiane, many schools held formal opening ceremonies to mark the start of the academic year, with students returning to their classrooms full of joy and enthusiasm for the year ahead.

By Bounfaeng Phaymanivong
(Latest Update September 2, 2025)