LAO NFE POLICY MAKERS BENCHMARK ON PHILIPPINE MOBILE TEACHING STRATEGIES

The Lao PDR Department of Nonformal Education (DNFE) under its Ministry of Education, in coordination with the UNESCO Bangkok and AusAID, engaged SEAMEO INNOTECH for a weeklong study visit to benchmark on nonformal education and mobile teaching programs in the Philippines.

The DNFE is tasked with determining strategies, and developing guidelines and measures to be undertaken to attain the goals of Lao PDR’s EFA action plan. It is expected that with this program the Lao officials gained knowledge and skills in developing essential plans and programs focused on improving access to education for implementation in their country.

SEAMEO INNOTECH designed the program to include visits to notable NFE centers located in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, La Union and Benguet. During these visits, the Lao NFE policy makers had the chance to discourse with their Filipino counterparts, as well as with local mobile teachers and stakeholders.

The visits enabled them to enrich their knowledge of mobile teaching, as well as on institutionalizing programs on NFE, literacy and life skills. It also allowed them to generate insights on strategies and approaches that can be adopted for implementation in Lao PDR.

At the end of the program, the participants translated all learnings into individual and group re-entry plans which outlined specific courses of action to undertake upon return to work.

The Center’s Research Studies Unit took the lead in facilitating this program from November 9 to 15.