Private Educational Development in Laos

Abstract

This article aims to research fundamentally on the development of the private education from the beginning until today. The studies found that the private education has long played a significant role in both education system and human resources development. The private education was primarily founded by Chinese and Vietnamese foreigners in order to succeed their languages and cultures when Laos was ruled by the French Imperialism. The private education expanded after the country became an independent state. Beside the private Chinese, Vietnamese schools and catholic schools which had been developed since the colonial period, there was also an expansion of the private Laos schools. However, after Laos became a communist country in 1975, the government monopolized the nation’s educational management and the importance of the private education was enormously decreased. Private education was brought back and developed again when Laos decided to reform her economic strategy and country ’s development, known as “the new thinking policy”. In consequence of the fast expansion of the economic system, the demand for qualified personnel increased, especially professionals and specialists of various fields. The government alone could not handle this task, thus encouraged private sector to take part in the nation’s education system. Private elementary and vocational institutes, occupational training centers, as well as tutorial schools are flourishing widely, especially in Vientienne and highly economic developing cities. Although the private education is facing many problems, particularly the funds for educational and personnel developments, the quality of the current Laos private education has been leveraged. Private institutes play an important role in the nation’s educational system and personnel development in response to the modern country development process.