Vietnam and Laos will increase the quality and efficiency of bilateral cooperation in education and human resource development in the 2011-2020 period. This is part of a cooperation agreement signed in Vientiane on February 9 between Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan and Lao Minister of Education and Sports Phankham Viphavanh. The two sides will also accelerate management of Lao students studying in Vietnam and vice versa, and propose measures to improve training quality and exchange curriculum, books and publications. They agreed to speed up research and syllabus compilation programs for teaching Vietnamese at schools and boarding schools. They will direct the implementation of building and raising the capacity of a Vietnamese Language Department at Laos National University, Luang Prabang Secondary School and Laos-Vietnam Friendship Secondary School. This year, Vietnam and Laos will build an ethnic minority boarding school in Xieng Khouang province. Vietnam will send teachers to teach Vietnamese and natural sciences subjects at schools where Vietnamese students enrol. At the signing ceremony, leaders from the two ministries emphasized the need to strengthen human resources training, exchange visits and increase cooperation at regional and international forums on education. (vovnews.vn Feb 10)
