Japan funds school construction projects in Laos

Japan funds school construction projects in Laos

The government of Japan has provided grant assistance worth over US$600,000 to improve the educational environment in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Huaphan provinces through its Grant-in-Aid Scheme for Grassroots Human Security projects (GGPs).
The assistance will be used to expand a primary and a lower secondary school in Vientiane province and to rebuild four lower secondary schools in Luang Prabang and Huaphan provinces.
According to a statement from the Embassy of Japan, grant contracts for the six projects were signed in Vientiane yesterday by the Ambassador of Japan to Laos Mr Hiroyuki Kishino and the Director of Luang Prabang provincial Education and Sports Department Mr Euang Losavanh.
Mr Kishino also signed contracts with five other heads of their respective education and sports offices, representing two districts in Vientiane province and three districts in Huaphan province.
Under the grant assistance, the first two projects are to expand the Nasavang primary school and the Naxam lower secondary school in Vientiane province, whose buildings are in poor condition.
The third project is to rebuild the Houykhing lower secondary school in Luang Prabang province. The school suffers from wind and rain because of its fragile structure. In addition, the school is overcrowded, has to operate under a two shift system and requires additional classrooms.
The remaining three projects are to rebuild lower secondary schools in Xamtai, Aed and Xamneua districts of Huapan province. These three lower secondary schools have classrooms and dormitories.
However, the school buildings are outdated and in poor condition, requiring regular maintenance and repair. Sometimes classes are disrupted by rain and wind.
Through these projects, buildings with fully furnished classrooms and staff rooms, while blocks of toilets and dormitories will be newly constructed.
More than 1,100 students in Vientiane province, 630 students in Luang Prabang province and 790 students in Huaphan province will enjoy the benefits.
In his remarks, Ambassador Kishino emphasised, “It is critically important that the benefits of the projects should be enjoyed by people in their respective local communities as this is the most significant characteristic of GGPs”
‘It is gratifying for us that these projects will be managed by such reliable partners as your organisations in the coming year. They will be significantly conducive to the empowerment of vulnerable people in need and contribute to the economic and social development of the target areas.”
Japan has supported the efforts of the government of Laos to improve basic education for many years. Through this grant-in-aid scheme for grassroots human security projects, Japan had funded 444 projects in Laos since 1989, including projects for 169 primary schools, 38 lower secondary schools and 16 dormitories in the field of education.
Presiding over the ceremony was the Minister of Education and Sports Dr Phankham Viphavanh, accompanied by invited guests.

By Phaisythong Chandara
(Latest Update February 19, 2014)

credit to vientianetimes.