Japan grants JPY1.27 billion for teacher development in Laos

A JPY1.27 billion yen grant-funded project backed by the Government of Japan to provincial teacher development centres in Laos was officially launched in Oudomxay province on June 24, marking a major investment in teacher training and education quality across nine provinces.
The groundbreaking ceremony for “The Project for Improvement of Teacher Development Centres in Laos”, funded through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), took place at the Provincial Department of Education and Sports in Oudomxay province in the presence of Lao and Japanese officials.
The project is expected to make an important contribution to the education sector in Laos by improving facilities at Provincial Teacher Development Centres (PTDCs), strengthening the capacity of in-service basic education teachers, and enhancing education quality at the provincial level in support of the government’s efforts to improve student learning outcomes.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, Dr Daravone Kittiphanh,
Vice Chairman of the Oudomxay Provincial Administrative Committee, Mr Philaithong Chitmany; Ambassador of Japan to Laos, Mr Koizumi Tsutomu; and Chief Representative of the JICA Laos Office, Ms Kobayashi Miyako.
Also present were directors of provincial education and sports departments from the project’s nine target provinces, together with representatives of related organisations.
According to the project plan, construction and improvement works will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will cover five northern provinces – Phongsaly, Oudomxay, Bokeo, Huaphan and Xayabouly – and is expected to be completed by 2027.
The second phase will extend support to Bolikhamxay, Khammuan, Xekong and Attapeu, with full completion of the overall project targeted for 2028.
The project is part of broader Japanese support for education development and human resource capacity building in Laos. In addition to infrastructure improvement, JICA has been supporting teacher development through technical cooperation programmes aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools.
This includes assistance to strengthen the capacity of primary mathematics teachers in line with the ongoing curriculum revision being implemented across the country.
A key element of that support is the promotion of Continuous Professional Development (CPD), which enables teachers to continue building their professional skills and reflect on classroom practices throughout their careers.
By encouraging continuous learning among teachers, the CPD approach is expected to improve the quality of teaching in the classroom and contribute to better learning outcomes for students.
JICA also provides short- and long-term training opportunities in Japan for teachers and officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports, helping them deepen their professional and academic knowledge and further contribute to the strengthening of human resources in the education sector.
Officials said the combination of improved facilities and technical support reflects JICA’s long-standing commitment to human resource development in Laos and to strengthening Laos’ education system over the long term.
They noted that investment in teacher development is not only an investment in classroom teaching, but also in the nation’s future, as better-equipped and continuously developing teachers can help raise student achievement and nurture the skilled human resources needed to support Laos’ sustainable development.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update June 25, 2026)