Vientiane: The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) in collaboration with Australia is taking significant steps to support students with disabilities through the launch of the Teacher Support Pack (TSP 14) and an accompanying video. These resources aim to equip teachers with tools to identify and address potential difficulties in areas such as attention, communication, memory, mobility, vision, or hearing.
According to Lao News Agency, the core component of TSP 14 is the Child Functioning Module – Teacher Version (CFM-TV), a practical tool designed to assist teachers in recognizing and responding to diverse learning needs. The upcoming video, TDV 29, will focus on classroom behaviors that may indicate learning or functional difficulties, guiding teachers on effectively using the CFM-TV.
The scriptwriting workshop for the Child Functioning Module Video included participation from experts across the Research Institute of Educational Sciences (RIES), Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), the Department of Teacher Education (DTE), the Inclusive Education Promotion Centre (IEPC), and the BEQUAL communications team. Discussions centered on the 20 questions of the CFM and signs teachers could observe to identify learning difficulties.
Ms. Manoly Dongvan, Deputy Director of RIES, opened the workshop emphasizing the right of every child to education regardless of ability. She highlighted the importance of adapted teaching approaches to prevent exclusion or dropout of children with disabilities and noted that the new Teacher Support Pack aims to help teachers recognize and respond to these needs effectively.
Mr. Michael Currie, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy, acknowledged the challenges faced by many children in Laos with unidentified learning support needs. He expressed Australia’s commitment to supporting MoES in providing tools that ensure all learners have the opportunity to succeed.
BEQUAL plans to distribute TSP 14 and TDV 29 in 30 target districts ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year, with pilot implementation scheduled for 18 schools in Xiengkhouang province.