Action with Lao Children at a glance
Below is a table, in chronological order, the events ALC has initiated or participated in.
Action with Lao Children (ALC) is a continuation of Education in Laos (post-1990)
Action with Lao children (ALC) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation. ALC aims to achieve a fair global society by improving the dissemination of education so as to equip children with the rights and ability to create their own future. ALC focuses on promoting literacy education and creating a conducive environment to nurture children's ability to learn by themselves. [1]
Founded in 1982 by Chanthasone Inthavong, ALC first started as the "Association for sending picture books to Lao children", then expanded their activities to include publishing of books in Laos. Their activities started in Japan and spread into Laos where Laotians took charge. They have currently two offices situated in Laos and Japan.
ALC seeks to fulfill its objectives through the implementation of 5 different projects aimed at improving the schooling experience of Lao children. These projects emphasize on the culture of reading and writing.
The Book Publishing Project facilitated the production of various categories of books written in the Lao language by Lao writers and illustrators. It also introduced picture books which are hard to come by in Laos. As of May 2009, about 690,000 books with 148 titles have been published. [2]
The Reading Promotion Project was implemented to improve the reading environment of Lao children through increased accessibility to books. It consists of the "Book Distribution Project" and "School Library Project". As a result of these efforts, books have been distributed to over 3000 primary and secondary schools in Laos since 1992. 190 school libraries have also been opened to encourage children to pick up reading as a habit. People living in the remote areas or villages of ethnic minorities benefit the most from this project since availability of education is lower there. [3]
In order to fully utilize the books distributed, Reading Promotion Seminars are organized for teachers to teach them the importance and pleasure of reading and the proper management of libraries.
In 1994, the first Children's Cultural Center was established in Vientiane. These centers serve to change the Lao educational environment by creating platforms where the children can perform and express themselves. This is in line with the promotion of children rights stated in the UN Charter of the Rights of the Child. Activities implemented in these centers include drawing, handicraft, traditional dance and music. At present, there are 20 centers nationwide. [4] [ needs update ]
ALC has been successful as proven by the falling failure rates in exams and rates of absentism in class. However, there are limitations to the programmes implemented. Close monitoring of schools has proven that many teachers fail to fully utilize books and motivate children to read. This is attributed to the limited time given to them to fully grasp the contents during the seminar. Skills learnt are also not transferred to the successors upon resignation. Besides, quality improvement of Lao language education is hindered due to the incapabilities of teachers in that aspect. In order to address these issues, ALC needs to do more by looking into the improvement of teaching methods of teachers.
Below is a table, in chronological order, the events ALC has initiated or participated in.
The picture below shows a map of Laos with the provinces numbered and defined. Apart from Oudoxmy and Phongsaly, ALC is active in all the other provinces of Laos. [5]
Taken from the Wikipedia Commons.
Early childhood education (ECE), also known as nursery education, is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children from birth up to the age of eight. Traditionally, this is up to the equivalent of third grade. ECE is described as an important period in child development.
The Regional Center for the Promotion of Books in Latin America and Caribbean(CERLALC) is an intergovernmental organization sponsored by UNESCO. The organization's headquarters are located in Bogotá, Colombia. Its main goal is to foster favorable conditions for the development of reading communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Theravada Buddhism is the largest religion in Laos, which is practiced by 66% of the population. Lao Buddhism is a unique version of Theravada Buddhism and is at the basis of ethnic Lao culture. Buddhism in Laos is often closely tied to animist beliefs and belief in ancestral spirits, particularly in rural areas.
The French protectorate of Laos was a French protectorate in Southeast Asia of what is today Laos between 1893 and 1953—with a brief interregnum as a Japanese puppet state in 1945—which constituted part of French Indochina. It was established over the Siamese vassal, the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, following the Franco-Siamese War in 1893. It was integrated into French Indochina and in the following years further Siamese vassals, the Principality of Phuan and Kingdom of Champasak, were annexed into it in 1899 and 1904, respectively.
Theravada Buddhism is the largest religion in Laos, which is practiced by 66% of the population. Laos has an area of 85,000 square miles (220,000 km2) and contains a population of approximately 6.6 million. Almost all ethnic or "lowland" Lao are followers of Theravada Buddhism; however, they constitute only 40-50% of the population. The remainder of the population belongs to at least 48 distinct ethnic minority groups. Most of these ethnic groups (30%) are practitioners of Laotian folk religion, with beliefs that vary greatly among groups.
In 2005, the literacy rate in Laos was estimated to be 73%.
Laos is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and labor exploitation as domestics or factory workers in Thailand. Some Lao men, women, and children migrate to neighboring countries in search of better economic opportunities but are subjected to conditions of forced or bonded labor or forced prostitution after arrival. Some Lao men who migrate willingly to Thailand are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in the Thai fishing and construction industry. To a lesser extent Laos is a country of transit for Vietnamese, Chinese and Burmese women destined for Thailand. Laos’ potential as a transit country is on the rise with the construction of new highways linking the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia through Laos. Internal trafficking is also a problem that affects young women and girls who are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation in urban areas.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Laos go unreported and unnoticed. While homosexuality is legal in Laos, it is very difficult to assess the current state of acceptance and violence that LGBT people face because of government interference. Numerous claims have suggested that Laos is one of the most tolerant communist states. Despite such claims, discrimination still exists. Households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for any of the rights that opposite-sex married couples enjoy, as neither same-sex marriage nor civil unions are legal.
A sighted child who is reading at a basic level should be able to understand common words and answer simple questions about the information presented. They should also have enough fluency to get through the material in a timely manner. Over the course of a child's education, these foundations are built on to teach higher levels of math, science, and comprehension skills. Children who are blind not only have the education disadvantage of not being able to see: they also miss out on the very fundamental parts of early and advanced education if not provided with the necessary tools.
The National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU), founded in 1997, is a non-government organization that brings together associations and institutions within Uganda’s book sector to promote authorship, publishing and a culture of reading in Uganda.
The Education for Development Foundation is a Thai International Foundation, established in 1987, that helps underprivileged children and encourage self-reliance through its education programs. EDF approved from the Ministry of Finance as a charitable organisation No.255, with the mission to alleviate poverty, develop education programs and facilitate international communication in order to help disadvantaged children gain access to basic education. With the opportunities created by EDF's programs, these children are able to develop their skills and qualify for better jobs, aiding their communities as well as their families.
Laotian women have long been active participants in their nation's society, involved in politics, driving social transformation and development, becoming active in the world of business and serving as nurses and food producers for the military. Due to modernization and rural uprooting, Lao women have begun to embrace lifestyles that are foreign to traditional Laotian ideals.
Big Brother Mouse is a not-for-profit publishing project in Laos.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, or SSA, is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of [Elementary education]] "in a time bound manner", the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 to 14 a fundamental right. The programme was pioneered by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It aims to educate all children between the ages 6 to 14 by 2010. However, the time limit has been pushed forward indefinitely.
The Lao government identified the need to equip citizens with the necessary skills and knowledge in the modern working environment. This has resulted in an improvement in the adult literacy rate. Based on the 2005 census, the literacy rate was recorded at 72.7%.
Children's rights education is the teaching and practice of children's rights in schools, educational programmes or institutions, as informed by and consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. When fully implemented, a children's rights education program consists of both a curriculum to teach children their human rights, and framework to operate the school in a manner that respects children's rights. Articles 29 and 42 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child require children to be educated about their rights.
Sombath Somphone is an internationally acclaimed community development worker and prominent member of Lao civil society. Sombath was abducted from a Vientiane street in 2012 and has not been seen since.
Armenia was admitted into the United Nations on March 2, 1992. Since December 1992 when the UN opened its first office in Yerevan, Armenia signed and ratified many international treaties. There are 15 specialized agencies, programs, and funds in the UN Country Team under the supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator. Besides, the World Bank (WB), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have offices in the country. The focus was drawn to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) stipulated by the Millennium Declaration adopted during the Millennium Summit in 2000. The MDGs have simulated never before practiced actions to meet the needs of the world's poorest. As the MDG achievement date of December 2015 drew closer a new set of global sustainable development goals was consulted worldwide, to be adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Armenia was included in the initial group of 50 countries to conduct national consultations on the global Post-2015 development agenda.
Read with Me is a reading promotion project in Iran for disadvantaged children in marginal areas of big cities and those living in remote and deprived areas of the country. The project is designed and implemented by the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature in Iran.
Laos is a nation with plentiful surface water and broad rivers, but outside of cities there is little infrastructure to make that water clean and accessible. Very little improvement has been made since the end of the Laotian Civil War in 1975, especially compared to peer nations such as Thailand. By 2015, 76% of Laotians nationwide were estimated to have access to “improved” water, while 71% were estimated to have access to “improved” sanitation.