| |
2010-08-16 |
|
| |
On 05 May 2010, the local visiting trip was led by Champhone District Education Bureau (DEB) officers to Boumdong, Phonethong and Donegneng village in Savannakhet province. The mission was to learn the current situation of students’ families as well as collecting the local fact data. The team was warmly welcome by local authorities and teachers, and taken to the villagers’ houses to meet underprivileged families. There was a list of candidate students who have applied for scholarships and their parents were interviewed one by one. The villages are deprived and have many underprivileged students who prior need scholarship donations to continue their grade 3 in primary school in the coming academic year.
Boumdong village is approximately 53 km away from Champhone city center. The majority of villagers are subsistent rice field farmers. In fact, there are a number of families are living under the poverty line, their lives rely on natural resources for foodstuff. Mostly, the villagers are educated merely primary level and there are some even have not completed. Besides, many students dropped out of school after finishing primary level as a result of secondary school is too far from their village. Also, it is tough and dangerous for small children to walk more than 6 km across the forest along the bumpy road to school every day.
|
| |
|
| |
2010-03-24 |
| |
Abacus teaching is moving forward in 05 primary schools in Khammuane province, with objectives of promoting mathematics studies and improving mental arithmetic among primary children under Japanese Abacus Project.
This extracurricular activity has been more gainful for children when EDF-Lao organized Japanese Abacus learning promotion during 16 – 18 February 2010 carrying out in those five target primary schools. The abacus mobilization was provided with quiz game such as questions-answers, calculation competitions, and other enjoyable games. The promotion has encouraged children in primary schools to enjoy learning and playing with friends, this also interests them in mathematics and experience in different enjoyable learning method. The event has given students understanding on abacus and enjoyment with learning.
The Abacus project is a basic education promotion by using the abacus for brain development organized by EDF-Lao, which is kindly funded by Toshiba International Foundation (TIFO). |
| |
|
| |
| |
2009-11-05 |
| |
After tropical storm Ketsana typhoon moved from Vietnam to Laos in the end of September. It caused tremendous damage in the area, Lao government and several organizations have mobilized necessary supplies to alleviate poverty of typhoon's victims in Sekong and Atapeu provinces.
EDF-Lao, and supported by EDF-Japan has procured needy consumer goods and medicines to support basic needs and alleviate illness of the poor effected by Ketsana typhoon in Sekong province. Most necessities supported by EDF-Japan have been dispatched to villages and schools in Lamam district on the 1st of November. |
| |
|
 |
| |
| |
2009-10-20 |
 More than 6000 disadvantaged primary children in Khammuane, Savannakhet, Saravan and Sekong provinces received scholarship to support their necessary learning materials through EDF-Lao Scholarship project for academic year 2009-2010.
On Tuesday, 16 Oct 2009, The Hand over of Scholarships support has taken place at Ministry of Education. The ceremony was presented by EDF-Lao Managing Director, Mr. Khamhaine INTHAVA to Director of Pre-primary and Primary Education, Mr. Chaleun SOUVONG, which witnessed by officials from two parties. The Scholarships have provided in the form of learning and schooling materials worth around 2.5 billion Kip. The learning and schooling materials have been sent to District Education Bureaus in four provinces since 12 October and it is in the progress of sending to schools and scholars.
Most of Scholarships granted by Japanese philanthropists including business organizations in Japan wholely around 3,500 donors.
EDF-Lao Scholarship project has launched to support deprived children in center and south of Laos since 1997, the project aims at reducing drop-out rate, poverty and promoting primary and lower secondary education in rural area. As children will become key force to develop community and eradicate poverty in the area, providing educational opportunity is important step to overcome poverty and achieve such goal in the future. |
 90 school children from 10 primary schools in Vientiane capital have had opportunity to show their particular calculation skill in mathematics by participated in Japanese Abacus Calculation Contest 2009 at National Cultural Hall on 25 Sep 2009 in the morning.
The contest has been directed by Ministry of Education, Department of Pre-primary & Primary Education, the event has been organized by EDF-Lao in cooperation with EDF-Japan, Vientiane capital Education Services, supported by Mr. Miyata Osamu and Mr. Tsuneyuki Ito, and patronized fund by NHK, Tigerhead Drinking Water and Tigo, The event has been of interests to many primary children and their parents, due to they have practiced abacus and exercised their brain for speed of calculation for days with helps of their class teachers in order to win the contest.
 After almost two hours of examination, an 11- years-old Mr. Lamngeun INTHANOUVONG, grade P5 from Thongkang primary school, Sisattanak District, and Ms. Namfon SOUDALA, grade P4 from Mixay primary school, Chanthabouly District, won the number one of the contest from total 23 P5 and 24 P4 students.
The Deputy Minister of Education Ms. Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun said the competition was a good opportunity to encourage more children to enjoy mathematics and reduce the failure rate in primary schools.
The Abacus class has been introduced and promoted for calculation learning for primary school children since 2004, it aimed at improving mental calculation skill (the crucial basic knowledge on addition and subtraction), and also assisted raising concentration and memorization ability. The contest was the first time After they have taken basic Abacus class of grade P4 and P5 for one and two years respectively. As a result, it has been one of activities inspiring children to learn mathematics cheerfully, and entertained them with productive learning and competition.
|
|
| |
| |
A delegation from Ministry of Education of the
Lao PDR, led by Mr. Chaleun Souvong, Director
General of Pre-Primary and Primary Education, has made One School One Project (OSOP) study tour in Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand, which was acceptance to invitation of EDF-Lao between 04 and 07 Aug 2009.
 This was results of a Roundtable meeting in Vientiane in February 2009, hosted by EDF-Lao and chaired by heads of Department of Pre-primary and Primary education and Secondary Education, Ministry of Education, has seconded the idea that educational development, especially at secondary school level, is accounted for national development in the long term. Along the 12 years of operation nonetheless, EDF-Lao has answered to the needs of educational development in four provinces Khammouan, Savannakhet, Saravan, and Sekong, yet many other requirements are still needed especially at more remote areas.
At the meeting, it was recommended that a study trip for Lao delegation to come and gain real-life experience at project sites in Thailand be organized. To cover different advantages and implications, the seminar is going to be split in two-first seminar (TEAM 1) shall give a precision to an overview of OSOP contributing to educational development. This one suits best the needs of high-ranking officers or those authorities whose role and responsibilities involve in educational policy making.
 The visit of Lao delegation has been warmly welcomed by The Education for Development Foundation (EDF-Thai), the manager of Office of
Education Region 1 and educational specialists, the Lao delegation has also been accompanied by EDF-Lao. The delegation has visited OSOP Exhibition, which was organized by schools which are funded by EDF. The delegation was very impressed with products made by students. The booth exhibitions included: fish and frog raising, products of local people such as: reed mats, star fruit extract, and other products. And visitted some primary schools to view some activities of farming supported by OSOP. ( Full Report)
|
|
| |
| |
2009-08-14 |
| On the KPL NEWS - Lao News Agency, dated 7 August, 2009 |
| |
| |
The Japanese abacus, a great gedget to develop thinking skills is not new to Laos as EDF-Lao or The Education for Development Fund of Laos introduced it to schoolchildren in 2004.
 Miss Sojiwajn SERTHSRI from the Bangkok-based Institiute of Promotion of Science and Technology told the KPL News reporter that ths instrument helps school pupils to concentrate as they have to think when they use the Japanese abacus.
However, those who train for long hours on the abacus can operate at a rather fantastic speed because they has already internalized the thinking concepts of the Japanese abacus system so much so that they can beat the space age calculator.
To ensure that it is strongly entrenched in Laos, EDF-Lao is taking the step of training Laotians to become trainers of abacus teachers and so they will spawn abacus teachers.
Miss Sojiwajn is now teaching 14 Lao school teachers from Vientiane and Khammouan provinces to become trainers of Japanese abacus teachers.
When they complete this five-day course, funded by Toshiba International Foundation (TIFO) via EDF-Lao, held at Ministry of Education Guesthouse in Vientiane, they would be tasked to train their coleagues to become abacus teachers. Presently, 15 schools in Laos teach pupils on how to use the Japanese abacus but when the present batch of school teachers complete their training for trainers course one can expect to see many more schools offering such a course.
Also, one can expect a rapid surge in the popularity of this gadget, as Miss Sojiwajn said that the young primary school children in Laos have a liking for the abacus because they can touch and feel it and they generally find it easy to learn.
On the other hand, the Thai teacher said that to attain a complete mastery of the Japanese abacus one has to be disciplined, hard-working and to be prepared for a slow an uphill slog.
I spent 10 months in Japan just to master this gadget and each day I would work on the Japanese abacus for as long as 13 hours, she added.
One of the ways of spuring usage and interest in this ancient gadget is to organize Japanese abacus competitons in Laos and this is likely to be held when there is a critical mass of users, said Miss Sojiwajn.
Last but not least this gadget is for all to learn to use to develop their thinking skills and so even the old have the mental capability to learn its functions and to enjoy the thrill of thinking lucidly. |
| |
|
| |
| |
2009-06-19 |
|
| |
 Children in remote area do not know what the Children’s Day is, and what it means to them. There is no any difference, for them, among Children’s Day and the other days.
The Education for Development Fund (EDF-Lao) takes into account the significance of cerebration of the National Children’s Day, and regards it as one of its activities.
On the 1st of June 2009, the EDF-Lao, in collaboration with Khammouane Provincial Education Services and with support of philanthropic donors, organized activities to celebrate the National Children’s Day in Lammalad village, Thakek district, khammouane Province. The event has gotten participation and interest from more than 300 school students. The celebration of the day was the first time for them, as the schools children in the area had never celebrated it. They gathered at 5 a.m, intentionally waiting to take part in the activities on the day |
|
 The purpose of the celebration of the day was to create an opportunity for children to have an enjoyment by taking part in various activities; sport and games playing combined with education awareness such as: tree planting, garbage gathering, and short story on the importance of education. In addition, the purpose of the celebration of the day was to raise the awareness of the importance of the National Children’s Day in communities. Smiles and laughs on children's faces made the team of the EDF-Lao very proud that they could act as a go-between to pass enjoyment from donors to the disadvantaged children, and raise their awareness of what the National Children means. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
| |
.jpg) Mr. Daosavai Phamisai, or Noy, is the model of an outstanding scholarship student. He loves studying and has strong ambition; he endeavors to continue his studies to become a qualified teacher in the future. He is in the first batch of EDF-Lao scholarship students. He was awarded a scholarship in 1997 for grade P3 education at Thadua Primary School in Thakhek district, Khammuane province. He grew up in a rural family with three siblings living in poverty.
Noy’s parents are rice field farmers in the village of Donemalay in Thakhek. Thanks to his scholarship support, his ambition, and encouragement from his parents, Noy has been able to continue his studies. He is now a second-year student at Savannakhet Teachers Training College in Savannakhet province, majoring in history and geography. Noy said he will become a teacher in his hometown after graduation in 2009. He also intends to go on to get a bachelor’s degree in the field of teaching and pedagogy after a few years of teaching |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
