Publications

While the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has made steady progress in expanding access to quality education, many children still leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing for their age. Despite this, there are ‘positive deviant’ schools that outperform other schools located in similar contexts and with an equivalent level of resources.

This report presents important insights from both quantitative and qualitative data on behaviours and practices of a variety of education actors in positive deviant schools in Lao PDR. It also explores existing local solutions and broader evidence emerging from all schools on various education-related challenges.

Data Must Speak – a global initiative implemented since 2014 – aims to address the evidence gaps to mitigate the learning crisis using existing data. The DMS Positive Deviance research is co-created and co-implemented with Ministries of Education and key partners. DMS research relies on mixed methods and innovative approaches (i.e., positive deviance approach, behavioural sciences, implementation research and scaling science) to generate knowledge and practical lessons about ‘what works’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ to scale grassroots solutions for national policymakers and the broader international community of education stakeholders.

DMS research is currently implemented in 14 countries: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, Niger, the United Republic of Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.

While the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has made steady progress in expanding access to quality education, many children still leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing for their age. Despite this, there are ‘positive deviant’ schools that outperform other schools located in similar contexts and with an equivalent level of resources.

This policy brief – about school climate in Lao schools – is part of a series that presents important insights from both quantitative and qualitative data on behaviours and practices of a variety of education actors in positive deviant schools in Lao PDR. It also explores existing local solutions and broader evidence emerging from all schools on various education-related challenges.

Data Must Speak – a global initiative implemented since 2014 – aims to address the evidence gaps to mitigate the learning crisis using existing data. The DMS Positive Deviance research is co-created and co-implemented with Ministries of Education and key partners. DMS research relies on mixed methods and innovative approaches (i.e., positive deviance approach, behavioural sciences, implementation research and scaling science) to generate knowledge and practical lessons about ‘what works’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ to scale grassroots solutions for national policymakers and the broader international community of education stakeholders.

DMS research is currently implemented in 14 countries: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, Niger, the United Republic of Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.

While the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has made steady progress in expanding access to quality education, many children still leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing for their age. Despite this, there are ‘positive deviant’ schools that outperform other schools located in similar contexts and with an equivalent level of resources.

This policy brief – about practices aligned with formative assessment in Lao schools – is part of a series that presents important insights from both quantitative and qualitative data on behaviors and practices of a variety of education actors in positive deviant schools in Lao PDR. It also explores existing local solutions and broader evidence emerging from all schools on various education-related challenges.

Data Must Speak – a global initiative implemented since 2014 – aims to address the evidence gaps to mitigate the learning crisis using existing data. The DMS Positive Deviance research is co-created and co-implemented with Ministries of Education and key partners. DMS research relies on mixed methods and innovative approaches (i.e., positive deviance approach, behavioural sciences, implementation research and scaling science) to generate knowledge and practical lessons about ‘what works’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ to scale grassroots solutions for national policymakers and the broader international community of education stakeholders.

DMS research is currently implemented in 14 countries: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Nepal, Niger, the United Republic of Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportunity for governments across Southeast Asia to reshape their approach to education so that children and adolescents are equipped with the necessary academic and socioemotional skills to live a rewarding life. By providing deeper insight into children’s attitudes and values in well-being domains, this report reveals the relationship between children’s well-being and academic learning in the region.

What can policymakers and practitioners do to support children and adolescents to excel now and in the future? Through quantitative analysis of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics 2019 database, along with an investigation of policy implications and promising practices, this report advocates for increased coordination across cross-sectoral government institutions; increased school, parental and community support for children’s development; and providing a platform for children’s voices to understand their perspectives and needs.

Developed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Office of Research-Innocenti and published by UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) as its contribution to the SEA-PLM Secretariat.

ໃນຂະນະທີ່ລັດຖະບານແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ, ໂດຍຜ່ານກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ແລະ ກິລາ ແລະ ຄູ່ຮ່ວມພັດທະນາໄດ້ມີຄວາມຄືບໜ້າຢ່າງບໍ່ຢຸດຢັ້ງໃນການຂະຫຍາຍການເຂົ້າເຖິງການສຶກສາທີ່ມີຄຸນນະພາບ, ແຕ່ກໍ່ຍັງມີເດັກນ້ອຍຈຳນວນຫຼາຍທີ່ຍັງອອກໂຮງຮຽນຊັ້ນປະຖົມສຶກສາ ໂດຍທີ່ຍັງບໍ່ສາມາດ ອ່ານ ແລະ ຂຽນໄດ້ ຕາມເກນອາຍຸຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ. ແຕ່ໃນສະພາບວິກິດທາງດ້ານການຮຽນແບບນີ້, ກໍຍັງມີໂຮງຮຽນຈຳນວນໜຶ່ງທີ່ປະຕິບັດໄດ້ດີ ແລະ ຜົນເດັນຫຼາຍກວ່າໂຮງຮຽນອື່ນທີ່ມີທີ່ຕັ້ງ ແລະ ສະພາບທີ່ຄ້າຍຄືກັນ ແລະ ມີຊັບພະຍາກອນເທົ່າໆກັນ. ຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ໄດ້ຕ້ອງບອກເຖິງຄວາມຈິງ (DMS) ການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາກ່ຽວກັບໂຮງຮຽນພັດທະນາ ເປັນວິທີການແບບປະສົມປະສານ ແລະ ມີຫຼາຍຂັ້ນຕອນຢ່າງລະອຽດ, ທີ່ໄດ້ມີການຮ່ວມມືກັນ ໃນການພັດທະນາ ແລະ ຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດ ຮ່ວມກັບ ກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ແລະ ກິລາ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ. ຈຸດປະສົງແມ່ນເພື່ອສ້າງເປັນຄວາມຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບລັກສະນະສະເພາະຂອງ ໂຮງຮຽນພັດທະນາ ຫຼື ໂຮງຮຽນທີ່ມີປະສິດທິພາບສູງ ໃນການປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງທີ່ດີ ແລະ ມີຜົນສຳເລັດ. ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາຍັງເປັນການຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນ ແລະ ເພື່ອຜັນຂະຫຍາຍ ບົດຮຽນໃນພາກປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງກ່ຽວກັບ 'ສິ່ງທີ່ສາມາດເຮັດໄດ້' ແລະ ວິທີການແກ້ໄຂຂັ້ນຮາກຖານ ສຳລັບຂະແໜງການສຶກສາ ທີ່ເປັນບ່ອນອີງໃຫ້ແກ່ຂັ້ນເທີງ ເພື່ອກຳນົດນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກອົງການຈັດຕັ້ງສາກົນ ຢ່າງກວ້າງຂວາງ. ບົດຄັດຫຍໍ້ດ້ານນະໂຍບາຍສະບັບນີ້ - ໄດ້ເນັ້ນໃສ່ການສ້າງຂີດຄວາມສາມາດຂອງຄູ - ເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງໃນຂະບວນການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາດ້ານປະລິມານພາຍໃຕ້ຂອບຂອງໂຄງການກ່ຽວກັບຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ໄດ້ຕ້ອງບອກເຖິງຄວາມຈິງ (DMS) ທີ່ໄດ້ນໍາສະເໜີ ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄວ້ານີ້ ໃນ ສປປ ລາວ. ສຳຄັນໄປກວ່ານັ້ນ, ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄວ້າ ຍັງເປັນຂໍ້ມູນໃຫ້ແກ່ການສົນທະນາດ້ານນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ການຕັດສິນໃຈ ຂອງ ສປປ ລາວ ແລະ ບັນດາປະເທດອື່ນໆທີ່ມີຄວາມສົນໃຈ.

ໃນຂະນະທີ່ລັດຖະບານແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ, ໂດຍຜ່ານກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ແລະ ກິລາ ແລະ ຄູ່ຮ່ວມພັດທະນາໄດ້ມີຄວາມຄືບໜ້າຢ່າງບໍ່ຢຸດຢັ້ງໃນການຂະຫຍາຍການເຂົ້າເຖິງການສຶກສາທີ່ມີຄຸນນະພາບ, ແຕ່ກໍ່ຍັງມີເດັກນ້ອຍຈຳນວນຫຼາຍທີ່ຍັງອອກໂຮງຮຽນຊັ້ນປະຖົມສຶກສາ ໂດຍທີ່ຍັງບໍ່ສາມາດ ອ່ານ ແລະ ຂຽນໄດ້ ຕາມເກນອາຍຸຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ. ແຕ່ໃນສະພາບວິກິດທາງດ້ານການຮຽນແບບນີ້, ກໍຍັງມີໂຮງຮຽນຈຳນວນໜຶ່ງທີ່ປະຕິບັດໄດ້ດີ ແລະ ຜົນເດັນຫຼາຍກວ່າໂຮງຮຽນອື່ນທີ່ມີທີ່ຕັ້ງ ແລະ ສະພາບທີ່ຄ້າຍຄືກັນ ແລະ ມີຊັບພະຍາກອນເທົ່າໆກັນ. ຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ໄດ້ຕ້ອງບອກເຖິງຄວາມຈິງ (DMS) ການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາກ່ຽວກັບໂຮງຮຽນພັດທະນາ ເປັນວິທີການແບບປະສົມປະສານ ແລະ ມີຫຼາຍຂັ້ນຕອນຢ່າງລະອຽດ, ທີ່ໄດ້ມີການຮ່ວມມືກັນ ໃນການພັດທະນາ ແລະ ຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດ ຮ່ວມກັບ ກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ແລະ ກິລາ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ. ຈຸດປະສົງແມ່ນເພື່ອສ້າງເປັນຄວາມຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບລັກສະນະສະເພາະຂອງ ໂຮງຮຽນພັດທະນາ ຫຼື ໂຮງຮຽນທີ່ມີປະສິດທິພາບສູງ ໃນການປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງທີ່ດີ ແລະ ມີຜົນສຳເລັດ. ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາຍັງເປັນການຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນ ແລະ ເພື່ອຜັນຂະຫຍາຍ ບົດຮຽນໃນພາກປະຕິບັດຕົວຈິງກ່ຽວກັບ 'ສິ່ງທີ່ສາມາດເຮັດໄດ້' ແລະ ວິທີການແກ້ໄຂຂັ້ນຮາກຖານ ສຳລັບຂະແໜງການສຶກສາ ທີ່ເປັນບ່ອນອີງໃຫ້ແກ່ຂັ້ນເທີງ ເພື່ອກຳນົດນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ການສະໜັບສະໜູນຈາກອົງການຈັດຕັ້ງສາກົນ ຢ່າງກວ້າງຂວາງ. ບົດຄັດຫຍໍ້ດ້ານນະໂຍບາຍສະບັບນີ້ - ໄດ້ເນັ້ນໃສ່ຜູ້ອໍານວຍການໂຮງຮຽນ ໃນໂຮງຮຽນທີ່ມີປະສິດທິພາບສູງ - ເປັນສ່ວນໜຶ່ງໃນຂະບວນການຄົ້ນຄ້ວາດ້ານປະລິມານພາຍໃຕ້ຂອບຂອງໂຄງການກ່ຽວກັບຂໍ້ມູນທີ່ໄດ້ຕ້ອງບອກເຖິງຄວາມຈິງ (DMS) ທີ່ໄດ້ນໍາສະເໜີ ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄວ້ານີ້ ໃນ ສປປ ລາວ. ສຳຄັນໄປກວ່ານັ້ນ, ຜົນການຄົ້ນຄວ້າ ຍັງເປັນຂໍ້ມູນໃຫ້ແກ່ການສົນທະນາດ້ານນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ການຕັດສິນໃຈ ຂອງ ສປປ ລາວ ແລະ ບັນດາປະເທດອື່ນໆທີ່ມີຄວາມສົນໃຈ.

 

 

 

While the Government of Lao PDR, through the Ministry of Education and Sports and its development partners, has made steady progress in expanding access to quality education, many children still leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing for their age. Despite this, there are ‘positive deviant’ schools that outperform other schools located in similar contexts and with an equivalent level of resources.

Data Must Speak (DMS) Positive Deviance research is a multi-staged mixed-method approach, co-created and co-implemented with Ministries of Education. It aims to generate knowledge about the positive deviant practices and behaviours of high performing schools. It also seeks to unravel practical lessons about ‘what works’ and how to scale grassroots solutions for national policymakers and the broader international community of education stakeholders.

This policy brief – focused on school principals in highly effective schools – is part of a series that presents key research findings of the DMS research quantitative stage in Lao PDR. More importantly, it aims to inform policy dialogue and decision-making in Lao PDR and other interested countries.

While the Government of Lao PDR, through the Ministry of Education and Sports and its development partners, has made steady progress in expanding access to quality education, many children still leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing for their age. Despite this, there are ‘positive deviant’ schools that outperform other schools located in similar contexts and with an equivalent level of resources.

Data Must Speak (DMS) Positive Deviance research is a multi-staged mixed-method approach, co-created and co-implemented with Ministries of Education. It aims to generate knowledge about the positive deviant practices and behaviours of high performing schools. It also seeks to unravel practical lessons about ‘what works’ and how to scale grassroots solutions for national policymakers and the broader international community of education stakeholders.

This policy brief – focused on teachers’ capacity – is part of a series that presents key research findings of the DMS research quantitative stage in Lao PDR. More importantly, it aims to inform policy dialogue and decision-making in Lao PDR and other interested countries.

This research brief compares the properties of individual- and household-based multidimensional child poverty approaches. Specifically, it contrasts UNICEF’s Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) with the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. MODA focuses on children and is rooted in the child rights approach, while MPI has been developed for households and follows Sen’s (1985) capabilities approach. We demonstrate their similarities and differences using two recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys: Sierra Leone and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). The analysis suggests that MODA tends to produce higher multidimensional child poverty headcount rates than MPI, both because of the differences in the survey items used to construct the indicators of deprivation and because of how the indicators are aggregated and weighted.

Over the past decade, early childhood development and education (ECDE) has received increasing attention. This has led to an influx of scientific, macroeconomic, and rights-based evidence, supporting the importance of equitably implementing quality ECDE programmes and services. Despite the increase in evidence, young children in the developing world still bear the greatest burden of poverty, disease, violence, and risk factors. Recent research suggests that equitable access to quality early childhood services (ECS) can reduce the impact of risk factors and improve outcomes.