b. Strategies and Programmes for Achieving Gender Equality The main education sector strategy referenced in the National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP; CPI, 2006) states that: Lessons will be drawn from past and current projects for increasing the number of ethnic minority teachers, improving the relevance of primary school materials, and providing incentives for girls to attend school. Provinces and districts will be encouraged to develop locally appropriate materials to supplement the core curriculum, and to schedule primary and secondary school classes to encourage school attendance. Dormitories will be built for female students who live long distances from schools. Other approaches include distance learning and “bridging” courses to enable students (particularly women) to enter vocational and technical schools.
15.5.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators in Lao PDR Almost all of the core indicators for ECCE and primary education show movement toward gender parity, as shown in Table 154. For two of the indicators, it may be concluded that gender parity has been achieved, namely primary NIR and Survival to Grade 5. The GPI for GER for ECCE has tended to be greater than 1.0 but is approaching 1.0. It can be estimated that parity in GER for ECCE could be reached by 2015. Table 154: GPIs for Selected Indicators, ECCE and Primary, 2000/01-2005/06, Lao PDR
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Year
ECCE GER
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06
1.09 1.07 1.05 1.06 1.05 1.04
GIR 0.86 0.86 0.88 0.92 0.91 0.91
NIR 0.95 0.95 0.96 0.99 0.96 0.98
Primary GER 0.86 0.85 0.87 0.87 0.89 0.88
NER 0.92 0.91 0.92 0.93 0.95 0.94
Survival to Grade 5 1.00 0.99 1.00 0.97 0.98 …
Source: MOE/ESITC. Note: "…" indicates no data available.
Table 155: GPIs for Selected Indicators, Secondary Level, 2000/01-2005/06, Lao PDR Year 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06
Trans. to LS 0.93 0.93 0.93 0.95 0.94 0.95
Lower Secondary GER 0.74 0.75 0.74 0.78 0.78 0.81
NER 0.99 0.99 0.95 1.00 1.02 1.02
Trans. to US 0.98 0.99 0.97 0.98 0.99 1.02
Upper Secondary GER 0.70 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.75
NER 1.38 1.41 1.35 1.38 1.41 1.41
Source: MOE/ESITC.
Two of the indicators for secondary school display parity, namely NER for lower secondary and the transition rate to upper secondary, as shown in Table 155. All other indicators show movement toward gender parity except NER for upper secondary. Boys are more likely than girls to enter lower secondary schools, but they are also more likely to be outside the official age range, in large measure because they tend to leave primary school late due to repetition. Girls who complete lower secondary school are just as likely as boys to enter upper secondary school. Girls who enter lower secondary are just as likely as boys to reach Grade 8. Girls enrolled at upper secondary level are much more likely than boys to be in the official age range.