About the Programme

UNESCO’s Capacity Development for Education (CapED) programme provides assistance and supports national capacities to undertake evidence-based national education reforms. The CapED programme has been implemented in Lao PDR since 2012 with a thematic focus on teachers to improve the quality of the teacher education system and to ensure the achievement of SDG4 and Target 4.c.

In the recent COVID-19 impact on education systems and teachers, UNESCO recognizes the need for immediate operationalization through the CapED Programme to address (i) the most urgent needs to respond to school closures and ensure continuity of learning through distance-learning modalities, and (ii) the medium-term plans to build resilient education systems through crisis-sensitive, contingency planning. In line with this, UNESCO Bangkok aims to provide technical assistance to Lao PDR, under the “Enhancement of Digital Resilience through Competency-Based Teacher Training Reforms to Facilitate ICT-Pedagogy Integration” Intervention of the “Capacity Development for Education (CapED) in Lao PDR: Transforming Teachers’ Capacities in ICT in Education in Lao PDR” programme, in determining and developing the required ICT competencies for teachers that are clearly aligned with the national policy vision and goals.  These national standards would guide the development of a comprehensive roadmap that promotes competency-based teacher ICT training programmes where teachers’ development is systematically guided, monitored, assessed, and tracked at policy and institutional levels.

The Programme Expansion

Between 2020 and 2022, the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok Office) played a crucial role in supporting the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) with the goal of enhancing national capacity for reforming initial teacher education and continuous professional development programs for teachers. These initiatives were specifically designed to foster the effective integration of ICT into pedagogy. This timely assistance was closely aligned with the education response and recovery efforts of the Government of Lao PDR following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the broader framework of the global Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme, the UNESCO Bangkok Office launched a dedicated two-year program titled "Capacity Development for Education (CapED) in Lao PDR: Education Response to the COVID-19 Crisis." The primary objective was to enhance the inclusivity and resilience of the Lao education system, particularly in times of crisis. As a component of this initiative, the ICT Competency Standards for Teachers (ICT-CST) were developed and officially endorsed in January 2022. The ICT-CST served as a national benchmark against which teachers could be adequately trained in ICT skills and pedagogy integration, catering to various proficiency levels.

Recognizing the significance of integrating the ICT-CST into pre-service teacher training programs and building the capacities of relevant educational personnel and teacher educators within teacher education institutions (TEIs), the UNESCO Bangkok Office continued its support to the MoES. This assistance falls under the overarching program titled "Capacity Development for Education (CapED) in Lao PDR: Capacity Building Support in Teacher Education."

To facilitate the seamless integration of the ICT-CST into teacher training curricula, course syllabi based on the ICT-CST were crafted for three new courses:

(i) Basic ICT,
(ii) ICT in Teaching and Learning, and
(iii) ICT for Teacher Professional Development. 

The Department of Teacher Education (DTE) has outlined plans to roll out the Basic ICT Course to Year 1 student teachers across all 16 TEIs in the upcoming academic year 2023-2024. Subsequently, the ICT in Teaching and Learning Course and the ICT for Teacher Professional Development Course will be introduced in a phased manner.

Substantial progress has been made, including the completion of the teaching module for the Basic ICT Course and the training of ICT teacher educators to deliver this initial course, which concluded in September 2023. The next steps involve several key activities, including the revision of course syllabi for both the ICT in Teaching and Learning Course and the ICT for Teacher Professional Development Course. Additionally, there are plans for the development of the teaching module for the ICT in Teaching and Learning Course, with the course itself scheduled for introduction to Year 1 student teachers in the two-year Higher Diploma teacher education programs during Semester 2 of the academic year 2023-2024. Subsequently, it will be extended to Year 2 student teachers in the four-year degree-level teacher education programs during Semester 2 of the academic year 2024-2025.

Moreover, to ensure the effective implementation of the ICT in Teaching and Learning Course, comprehensive training for ICT teacher educators will be conducted across all 16 TEIs.

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