Lao

Major policies are determined at the party congresses, which are held every five years. Laws in accord with these policies are debated and passed by the national assembly. Three bodies are primarily responsible for administering Lao education: the central Ministry of Education (MOE), Provincial Education Services (PES), and District Education Bureaus (DEBs). While the system is highly centralized, the governor and local areas and communities do have important influences on educational policy and implementation.

With respect to educational finance, in 1996-1997, 52 percent of national funding went to primary education, 24.6 percent to secondary education, and 6.4 percent to higher education. From 1993 to 1998, the education budget as a percent of GDP ranged from a low of 2.1 percent (1997-1998) to a high of 3.4 percent (1994-1995). As a percent of the national budget, educational expenditures have ranged from a high of 15.8 percent (1996-1997) to a low of 9.6 percent (1993-1994). Approximately 37 percent of government funds for education come from international grants and loans, primarily the Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

The major body for conducting educational research is the National Research Institute for Educational Science (NRIES). The major focus of its research is curriculum development and research related to the development and evaluation of textbooks. The Faculty of Education at the National University of Laos also has research responsibilities related to education, and the Teacher Development Center, also at NUOL, is active in text development and related training.