1. © Culture Unit, UNESCO Bangkok 2008
South-East Asia EFA Mid-Term Policy Review Conference & Launch of the 2008 Global Monitoring Report February 2008 Jomtien, Thailand Mekong Sub-Region Synthesis Report Circulation Draft 2: Question and Answer Time
© Culture Unit, UNESCO Bangkok 2008

2. Outline Some essential background Goal 1: ECCE Goal 2: UPE/UBE
Goal 3: Life Skills, NFE, TVET
Goal 4: Literacy
Goal 5: Gender
Goal 6: Quality
Overall Conclusions & Recommendations

3. Demography
All countries in the Mekong Sub-Region are experiencing declining birth rates.
The school-age population is declining.
The population pyramid is changing shape.

4. Cambodia

5. Lao PDR

6. Myanmar

7. Thailand

8. Vietnam

9. The changes in the fertility rate is not uniform over the population.
Changing demographic patterns have educational implications.
The disadvantaged population can grow more rapidly than the population at large.

10. EFA MDA Trends in the Mekong Sub-Region

11. Who are the disadvantaged?
Children from remote communities;
Children from poor ethnic minority families;
Children from migrant families;
Children with disabilities;
Street children, children in difficult circumstances;
Orphans and abandoned children.

12. Goal 1 - ECCE #1: Definition
In all Mekong countries, most ECCE programmes cover the period 3-5, with but also have some programmes for younger children where needed.
Most definitions focus mostly on education and less on care . . .
. . .but Myanmar writes:
“ECCE is defined as nurturing children younger than 5 years physically, socially, mentally and spiritually, referring to both pre-school (ages 3-5) programmes and diverse child rearing practices and day-care programmes for children younger than 3.”

13. Goal 1 - ECCE #2: Legislation
In all Mekong countries, there is either existing or draft legislation for the provision of ECCE services.
In Cambodia and Laos, ECCE appears in the Education Law; in other countries in other legislation.

14. Goal 1 - ECCE #3: Strategies & Programmes
All Mekong countries have strategies and programmes for ECCE, . . .
. . .but not all countries have specific programmes for providing ECCE services to disadvantaged children.

15. Goal 1 - ECCE #4: Strategies & Programmes
All Mekong countries have strategies and programmes for ECCE, . . .
. . .but not all countries have specific programmes for providing ECCE services to disadvantaged children.

16. Goal 1 - ECCE #5: Barriers to ECCE for the Disadvantaged
Physical facilities constraints;
Limited budget;
Lack of teachers, especially in remote and mountainous areas.
Parent’s poverty;
Disease;
For children with disabilities, to provide caring techniques in the families, since most are taken care of at home (???)
What about inclusive education?

17. Goal 1 - ECCE #6: Targets for 2007 and 2015
All Mekong countries have made significant progress in reaching the ECCE education targets,
. . . but there is a long way to go, and
. . . not all countries met the targets.
“If the EFA target for 2015 is to be achieved, MOE will have to pay particular attention to expansion of ECCD programmes to rural and remote areas.”
“Actions have been taken in line with the requirements of the core indicators, but due to overlapping and differences in the data-recording system between the various agencies and organization involved, it is difficult to report on actual outcomes. ”

18. Goal 1 - ECCE #7: Disparities
ECCE enrolment rates show gender equality in all Mekong countries,
. . . but there are significant social, ethnic, and regional disparities.

19. Goal 1 - ECCE #8: Best Practices
Cambodia: School Readiness Programme was found effective in reducing repetition and drop out established and increasing promotion rate and school attendance.
Myanmar: (1) Box libraries play an important role in disseminating ECCE practices to families, teachers, community and community leaders and are instrumental in reaching the unreached. A total of 21,000 box libraries have been distributed.
Myanmar: (2) A key ECCE strategy in reaching the priority target groups and reducing rural-urban gaps has been the innovative development of “mother circles,” which represents a hybrid model whereby pre-primary school-based early childhood centres serve as the nucleus of support to home-based satellite programmes.
Vietnam: Engaging the participation of family and communities in ECCE.

20. Goal 1-ECCE #9: Remaining Challenges
Coverage of home based programmes;
Monitoring of private pre-school;
ECCE coverage among disadvantaged population, such as poor, ethnic minority, and children with disabilities, especially in remote areas.
Quality of pre-primary education nation wide, particularly in remote areas;
Data collection on ECCE, disaggregated by gender, location, national or ethno-linguistic groups, disabilities, economic quintile.
Awareness, especially among parents from low socio-economic groups, of the importance of ECCE;
Collaboration and coordination among providers;
Participation among all people in communities;
Re-organization the ECCE system based on community participation;

21. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #1: Definition, Costs, and Enforcement
UPE is either 5 or 6 years of primary;
UBE is 9 years of primary + lower secondary.
Primary education is “free” and compulsory, although there are “hidden costs”, especially “opportunity costs”, especially among poor families.
“Enforcement is weak because: (a) Some children in remote areas lack access to schools or to complete schools (grades 1-5); and (b) Some families consider that their children are not learning much so it is better they work instead, especially in remote areas where children often begin school several years beyond the official school entry age due to distance to travel. ”

22. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #2: Strategies for Disadvantaged Children
Scholarship programme for the poor especially girl students;
Dormitory for girl students in teacher training centres;
School feeding programme;
Inclusive education;
Opening more schools in border and remote areas and recruiting local teachers;
Organizing monastic education;
Organizing mobile schools and non-formal primary education programmes;
Special care and attention for children with disabilities, the mentally challenged, and other disadvantaged children, use of Braille devices and sign language for the blind and deaf.
What about inclusive education?

23. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #3: Targets for Core Indicators
All Mekong countries made significant progress, . . .
. . . but did they meet their targets for the core indicators?
Country
2007 Targets
Achieved?
2015 Targets
Achieve?
Cambodia
Laos
Myanmar
Thailand
Vietnam

24. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #4: Gender Equality
In all Mekong countries, both gross and net intake and enrolment is lower for girls than for boys, and
. . . GPI for net intake and enrolment rates tends to be higher than for gross intake and enrolment rates, so
. . . girls are less likely to enter and continue in school than boys, but if they are enrolled, they are more likely to be at the correct age, because . . .
. . . boys who perform poorly are more likely to repeat, while girls who perform poorly are more likely to drop out.
Virtually all indicators showed movement toward greater gender equality.

25. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #5: Best Practices
Cambodia: Child Friendly School programme improved the quality of education, effectiveness of teaching, and classroom environment
Myanmar: Mobile schools, using the same curriculum, same duration, as the formal education system. Teachers may be recruited from the formal schools or from the community. Teachers may move along with children as parents migrate.
Myanmar: Special programmes for over-aged children in primary classes were implemented in 2003/04 at basic education schools. The accelerated programme enables children of age 7+ or 8+ to complete primary education in 3 years and those of age 9+ to complete primary education in 2 years. Learning through the special curriculum, these over-aged children were able to attend lower secondary school after their primary education. In 2005/06, this programme served more than 103,000 children.
Myanmar: Introduction of post-primary schools providing more access to disadvantaged children to be able to continue to secondary education.

26. Goal 2 – UPE/UBE #6: Remaining Challenges
School enrolment still low among disadvantaged population including remote, ethnic minority poor and disabled children;
High repetition rate at primary level, especially at lower grades;
High dropout rate at upper primary and lower secondary levels;
There are many children, aged 5-14 who are unable to study full time in the formal system because they must work assisting their families;
Myanmar: “A law or policy must be developed so that employers take responsibility for education of children from mobile families”;
Improving the performances of students;
Increasing the professional qualification of teaching staff;
Improving school infrastructures;
Modernizing school management.

27. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #1: Definition
Cambodia: Skills needed by each individual to use in his/her daily life, including family life skills, economic and income generating skills, knowledge of the environment, knowledge and skills on basic health care and HIV/AIDS prevention, and civic consciousness.
Laos: Knowledge and abilities needed by the people or learners to improve their quality of life ( ex : basic vocational and rural skills ).
Myanmar: Life skills education aims to develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills which enable children to use psycho-social competencies and interpersonal skills such as decision making, communication skills, interpersonal relationships, empathy, critical and creative thinking, coping with motion and stress and fostering self-esteem and self-expression have been incorporated into lessons.

28. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #2: Policy
The policy on TVET may be clear, but what is the policy on life-skills and life-long learning?
Country
Life-Skills
Life-long Learning
Cambodia
Laos
Myanmar
Thailand
Vietnam

29. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #3: Target Populations
Cambodia: Youth and adult literacy years old and 15 over.
Laos: The strategy is to concentrate its actions on young adults, especi­ally school drop outs and ethnic group women and girls in the poorest districts who are motivated to acquire skills for income generating activities.
Myanmar: Life skills programme: age 6-15; Out-of-schools programme: age 10-17; EXCEL project TVET: age 15+; NFE age 10+.
Thailand: ???
Vietnam: Target groups are those who are unable to enter the formal education system or who need support to increase their income.

30. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #4: Strategies & Programmes for Disadvantaged
Cambodia: (a) Community Learning Centres (CLCs); (b) Mobile School Vehicle; (c) Life Skills for HIV/AIDS Education Programme; (d) Local Life Skills programme; (e) Vocational training programme for disabled women and children; and (f) Technical training programmes.
Myanmar: The overall relevant strategy under the EFA NAP is “Enhancing literacy and Continuing Education through NFE.”
Further strategies encompassing disadvantaged groups include: (a) Improving Quality of Life Skills Curriculum; (b) Ensuring all school children receive skill-based learning approach; (c) Increasing partnership and sustainability; (d) Increasing community participation; and (c) Increasing community participation and increasing lifelong education.

31. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #5: Best Practices
Laos: The success story of vocational and technical education and training is the policy development done mainly since the beginning of the decade, which links TVET to labour market demand.

32. Goal 3 – Life skills, NFE, TVET #6: Remaining Challenges
Cambodia:
Training programmes sometimes do not match the real needs of trainees as well the job market demands;
Locally available human resources and materials yet to be fully utilized; and
The cooperation and coordination between different departments and Ministries need to be improved to ensure better coherence and synergy among different skills training programmes.
Laos:
Revision and development of TVET programmes serving today’s labour market as well as tomorrows, including skills and competence based curricula and life-long learning opportunities;
Changing the concept of TVET to be life-long and oriented to changing labour market demand;
Development of “gender neutral” and “inclusive” TVET programmes.

33. Goal 4 – Literacy #1: Definition & Measurement
There is no single definition of literacy either within or between countries in the Mekong region.
Skill: Reading only / reading and writing / reading, writing, and simple arithmetic.
Language: Official national language only / Official national and other national language / Any language
Measurement method: Ask question(s) / Test

34. Goal 4 – Literacy #2: Targets
Overall literacy targets for 2007 have been met, and targets for 2015 are likely to be met;
Gender equality for youth is approaching or achieved rapidly, but gender equality for adults is approaching more slowly.

35. Goal 4 – Literacy #3: Remaining Challenges
Cambodia: (a) Irregular attendance of literacy class students due to many other engagements either at home or at work; (b) Low and delayed payment of salaries for literacy teachers; and (c) Lack of classrooms and materials for literacy classes.
Laos: Low quality of primary schooling leads to low levels of secured literacy, and where reading material is not widely available, relapsing into illiteracy is a risk.
Myanmar: (a) Few studies of relationship between literacy and continuing education; (b) Need to improve methods and procedures; (c) Need to promote non-formal primary and secondary education for children who cannot attend formal schools.
Thailand: (a) Low reliability of data on non-literate people; (b) Use of languages other than Thai in the Southern part of Thailand; (c) Lack of coordination with regard to target groups, standard measures, and indicators.

36. Goal 5 – Gender #1: National Legislation
Gender equity is anchored in significant legislation in all countries in the Mekong region, such as the constitution, the education law, and other significant legislative documents.
All countries have acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
All countries have strategies and programmes in place for the general promotion of gender equality.
All countries have strategies and programmes in place for promotion of gender equality specifically among disadvantaged groups.
In law, there are no barriers to gender equality, but in practice attitudes and awareness of the population need to change.

37. Goal 5 – Gender #2: Progress, Targets, and Best Practices
Progress: Virtually all indicators show movement toward gender equality.
Targets: Most gender targets for 2007 have been met or will soon be met, and targets for 2015 are expected to be met.
Best Practices: Several school feeding programmes targeting girls and their families have been quite successful in increasing girls’ participation rates.

38. Goal 5 – Gender #3: Remaining Challenges
Cambodia: (a) Dormitories for female students in remote and disadvantaged areas; (b) Dropout rate at lower secondary levels, especially for girls; (c) Gender responsive teaching methods not used widely.
Laos: (a) Further widening of access to education, especially primary education in remote areas; (b) Raising internal efficiency, especially at primary level and assessing why repetition and dropout rates are so high, especially among boys.
Myanmar: (a) Gender disparity in education plans; (b) Assessment of gender equity in text books, curricula and learning materials; (c) Gender imbalances in teaching staff and at management level; (d) Traditional beliefs' and cultural practices' effects on girls' education.
Thailand: Encourage more men to become teachers.
Vietnam: The gender equality in some ethnic groups and some rural areas

39. Goal 6 – Quality #1: Definition
Cambodia: The Child Friendly School: (a) Inclusiveness; (b) Effectiveness; (c) Safe, protective, healthy; (d) Gender friendly; and (e) Involves community, parents and students.
Laos: A quality of inputs, process and outcomes from which all children enjoy learning skills that are essential to their lives and benefit from a stimulating and safe environment.
Myanmar: The school's ability to meet students' cognitive needs and foster the physical, social and emotional development. Quality aspects include teaching-learning approaches, quality of teachers, class size, availability of learning materials, assessment systems, leadership of School Heads, and the effectiveness of supervision and assistance provided by Township Education Officers.
Thailand: Quality in education refers to the acquisition of desirable qualities and skills in learners. These qualities are developed through an educational system that relies on total quality in management and resources.
Vietnam: ???

40. Goal 6 – Quality #2: Policies and Programmes
All Mekong countries have general quality improvement strategies and programmes;
All Mekong countries have quality improvement strategies and programmes specifically for disadvantaged children;
Some of the quality indicators have been met in some of the countries.
Gender parity has either been achieved or is “emerging” in the quality indicators;

41. Goal 6 – Quality #3: Progress in Achieving Quality Goals
Cambodia: (a) Sample-based standardized learning achievement test conducted for grade 3 students; (b) School-self assessment system and tools drafted for piloting in 2007/08; and (c) Child-friendly school initiatives implemented in 12 provinces.
Laos: (a) Quantitative improvement in primary school teacher qualifications.
Myanmar: (a) Inclusion of Life Skills in basic education curriculum; (b) Introduction of vocational courses in secondary schools; (c) Inclusion of human rights education in morals and civics courses; (d) Development of video tapes on learners' guides and examination guides for 11th Graders; (e) CD ROMs for information and communication technology activities; and (f) multimedia facilities for secondary schools
Thailand: (a) Education institutions, especially the small-sized ones have been equipped with computers and office technologies; (b) Small schools have been integrated so as to provide flexibility in management; (c) Schools and Educational Service Areas are aware of the goals and are committed to achieving quality education to ensure higher performance; (d) Collaboration between schools and school boards is firmly established.
Vietnam: ”Say no with the untruthfully, assessing on student performance, and cheating in the examination” (???)

42. Goal 6 – Quality #4: Best Practices
Laos: MOE has embarked on a major programme of development of the teacher education system (TESAP) to promote best practices in teaching and learning.
Myanmar: The University for the Development of National Races (UDNR) is responsible for training of youth from all indigenous national groups, especially from remote and border areas, to become teachers and community leaders.
It provides a curriculum similar to Education Colleges but differs in terms of admission requirements and length of training. It accepts students who have passed Grade 9, partly because of a need to train the younger population in the border areas.
Training lasts three years, and after completion of the course, trainees are appointed as primary assistant teachers in remote and border areas and are able to proceed up to B Ed, M Phil and M Ed courses. Through September 2003 (???), UDNR had served more than 8,600 trainees from 87 national groups.

43. Goal 6 – Quality #5: Remaining Challenges
Cambodia: (a) Quality and Indicator Standards are still in pilot implementation; (b) Regional disparity in terms of resources.
Laos: A major challenge is to build competence in the assessment of learning outcomes at the classroom and school level to allow for comparison of learning outcome standards.
Myanmar: (a) Border areas, localities with transportation and communication difficulties; (b) Traditional concepts and beliefs, particularly with regard to life skills education; (c) Shortage of donor support for non-formal education; (d) Reducing of pupil/teacher ratio (primary) to 30:1 by 2010 and maintain at 30:1 through 2015.
Thailand: Teachers and administrators are engaged in training and therefore leave schools too often.
Vietnam: Quality assurance system.

44. Policy Recommendations #1: Access
Gain the last frontiers of Education for All :
Children from remote communities;
Children from poor, ethnic minority families;
Children from migrant families;
Children with disabilities;
Orphans, abandoned children, street children, children in difficult circumstances.

45. Policy Recommendations #2: Quality
Raise the priority level of quality:
Reduce repetition & dropout rates;
Raise literacy and numeracy rates;
Raise educational and labour market relevance;
Increase internal efficiency;
Increase external efficiency.

46. Policy Recommendations #3: Strategic Thrusts
Engage for these goals the same determination, energy, legislation, administrative reform, and advocacy as with gender mainstreaming.
Enforce compulsory education laws, in consultation with the community.
Base policy and practice on the concrete situations faced by the disadvantaged groups.

47. The End