glossary of terms for education development in lao pdr
DESCRIPTION
Historical glossary of education sector development terms specifically for Lao PDR. January 21, 2015 edition.TRANSCRIPT
G
lossary
Historical Glossary of Terms for Education
Development in Lao PDR
Latest Update
January 21,
2014
Richard & Vithanya Noonan
Copyleft © Richard & Vithanya Noonan Vientiane: Samizdat, 2014
Cover: Ari Vitikainen
Ver. 53.1
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
i
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... i List of Annex Figures ................................................................................................................ i List of Annex Tables ................................................................................................................. ii List of Annex Boxes .................................................................................................................. ii Preface ...................................................................................................................................... iii Glossary .................................................................................................................................... vi
0 – 9........................................................................................................................................ 1 A ............................................................................................................................................ 2 B ............................................................................................................................................ 5 C ............................................................................................................................................ 6 D .......................................................................................................................................... 11 E ........................................................................................................................................... 14 F ........................................................................................................................................... 18 G .......................................................................................................................................... 21 H .......................................................................................................................................... 22 I ............................................................................................................................................ 23 J............................................................................................................................................ 26 K .......................................................................................................................................... 27 L ........................................................................................................................................... 27 M.......................................................................................................................................... 31 N .......................................................................................................................................... 33 O .......................................................................................................................................... 36 P ........................................................................................................................................... 37 Q .......................................................................................................................................... 41 R .......................................................................................................................................... 42 S ........................................................................................................................................... 43 T ........................................................................................................................................... 48 U .......................................................................................................................................... 51 V .......................................................................................................................................... 52 W ......................................................................................................................................... 54 X Y Z ................................................................................................................................ 55
ANNEX .................................................................................................................................... 56 ANNEX FIGURES ................................................................................................................... 57 ANNEX TABLES .................................................................................................................... 62 ANNEX BOXES ...................................................................................................................... 67
List of Annex Figures
Figure 1: School System Structure as of School Year 2014/2015 ...................................... 57
Figure 2: Alternate School Forms as of School Year 2012/2013 ....................................... 58
Figure 3: Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Forms ................................. 59
Figure 4: Typical School Cluster: Core School and Satellite Schools ............................... 59
Figure 5: Implementation Plan for Teacher Education 2010/10 to 2014/15 ..................... 60
Figure 6: General, TVET, and IVET Streams after Lower Secondary Education ......... 60
Figure 7: MOES Organization Chart (September, 2014) .................................................. 61
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List of Annex Tables
Table 1: PESS and DEBS Organization .............................................................................. 62
Table 2: Universities and Faculties ...................................................................................... 62
Table 3: Ethno-Linguistic Groups and their Population Distribution, 2005 .................... 63
Table 4: Lao Education for All (EFA) - Number of Objectives, Targets, and Activities 64
Table 5: Lao National Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for Education ............. 64
Table 6: Official Names of Lao Government Structure, as of July 2014 .......................... 65
Table 7: Spelling of Provinces and Common Place Names ................................................ 66
List of Annex Boxes
Box 1: Summary Timeline for General Education Policy Development, from 1990 ....... 67
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PREFACE
Aims and Scope. This Glossary is intended as an
aid for reading and writing English-language
documents about education development in Laos.
It lists more than 2000 abbreviations, terms,
expressions, and definitions in official or common
usage found in literature specifically concerning
development of education and training in Lao
PDR.
Where usage is primarily associated with one
organization, that fact is noted. No organization
has a monopoly on words, however, and terms
originating in one organizational context can
migrate to others, sometimes with slightly
modified form or meaning. Wherever possible,
such variations are noted. Terms originating in
individual projects are entered into the Glossary
only if they gain significant usage outside the im-
mediate project context.
Expert agencies and NGOs are listed but con-
sulting firms are not, although the distinction is
sometimes fuzzy. Universities are listed when the
role involves academic research or teaching.
Standardization of Terminology. The reader
is encouraged to avoid proliferation of out-of-date
or non-standard terms and abbreviations, such as
use of FD (Finance Department) to refer to DOF
(Department of Finance) or TTD (Teacher Train-
ing Department) to refer to the DTE (Department
of Teacher Education). We have tried to note out-
of-date terminology and give references to
relevant current terminology.
Lexicographical Conventions. The use of
upper and lower case letters follows standard
English lexicographical convention: proper names
and names of specific official documents or
specific and mathematically defined terms, are
spelled with first-letter capitals, while common
terms are spelled with lower case letters. For
abbreviations, terms, and expressions themselves,
common usage has been the guide to use of upper
and lower case.
New terms and abbreviations are entered as
the authors find them relevant and their usage sig-
nificant. A liberal approach has been taken with
regard to meanings. Language is organic,
constantly changing as new concepts emerge and
old concepts fall into disuse. This Glossary is
continuously updated, as new abbreviations,
terms, and expressions come into usage. We aim
to achieve both formal accuracy in the use of
official abbreviations and representative coverage
of the way terms are used in wider practice.
Cross-references are given where needed. Hyper-
links facilitate cross-referencing on electronic
media.
A conservative approach has been taken in
retaining older terminology, even long after the
terms have fallen into disuse, in order to facilitate
reading of older documents. Wherever possible,
when old abbreviations have officially fallen from
usage, that fact is noted, but the entry is retained.
Historical terms and abbreviations included
here are noted as such in square brackets:
[Formerly], referring to relatively recent
changes;
[History], referring to changes in the more
distant past, usually before the Revolution in
1975;
[Dated], referring to terms outdated by more
modern terminology but still in use in some
vernacular writing.
Note that in September 2011 the Ministry of
Education (MOE) was reorganized and renamed
Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES). In the
references below we always use the contemporary
abbreviation.
All document references are to English
language publications unless otherwise noted.
Some historical terms are in French, which
was used in school system nomenclature and
English language documents well into the 1970s
before the Revolution in 1975 and in some
documents even long after the Revolution. Such
terms in French are listed here only if they appear
in English language documents. Note also that the
French language is still used in the names of
government schools in some areas.
Some writers mix lower- and upper-case
letters in abbreviations (e.g., MoES for Ministry
of Education and Sports), while others use full
upper case abbreviations (e.g., MOES). For
simplicity no such distinctions are made here, and
with some few exceptions full upper case
abbreviations are used.
Many organizations have “Lao” as part of the
official name, e.g., Lao Women’s Union (LWU).
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
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The abbreviations of some Lao organizations,
however, are modified for use in international
context, such as conference presentations. For
example, the National Commission for the
Advancement of Women, abbreviated in the Lao
context as NCAW, can be found in international
context abbreviated as LaoNCAW. For the sake
of simplicity we record here only the national
form, e.g., NCAW.
Statistical Terminology. We find that
common statistical terms and abbreviations are
often confused by readers and sometimes misused
by writers. We therefore include here not only the
abbreviations and the names of indicators but also
the formal definitions. This document, however,
is intended only as a glossary, not a technical
reference manual. In all cases we have taken the
definitions directly from the UNESCO Institute
for Statistics (UIS) website: www.uis.unesco.org
Note that not all valid and well-defined
statistical indicators commonly found in the
literature and listed here are defined by UIS. With
some few exceptions, in such cases no formal
definitions are given. Where possible, we
reference what we consider to be the nearest
equivalent UIS indicator. For the sake of
standardization of indicators, we urge all parties
to use only those indicators that are defined by
UIS where possible and to follow the UIS
definitions rigorously. This may not be possible
in the case of household surveys or other studies
that do not access school records (e.g., see Net
Attendance Ratio).
It should be understood, however, that the
UIS technical guidelines are revised from time to
time. Moreover in some cases an indicator is
defined on the website but not in the most recent
technical guidelines. It is beyond the scope of this
Glossary to track these changes, but they are
recorded where they have been noted.
Language Issues. Some organizations are
known by abbreviations based on their official
names in languages other than English. If an
official or widely used English translation has
been found, it is reported here. If no such
translation has been found, we have provided our
own direct translation together with the note
“Author trans.”
Many Lao organizations do not have official
English names, and even where they do they are
often not widely known or used. Instead trans-
lators and other writers often make up their own
translations and abbreviations, which leads to a
proliferation of English names and abbreviations
for the same organization. Where possible,
reference is made below to the official names and
abbreviations. It is likely nevertheless that some
redundancies appear due to the same organization
appearing under different names.
For simplicity, no distinction is made between
pupil and student, and the broader term “student”
is used throughout. Similarly, no distinction is
made between teacher and instructor, and the
term “teacher” is used throughout.
Some Lao words and expressions frequently
found in English language texts are included in
this Glossary. It should be noted, however, that
there is no standard transliteration between the
Lao script and the Latin alphabet (“writing Lao in
karaoke”). The spellings given here are those
often appearing in English language writings.
Graphics. All graphic images shown in the
Annex are available in electronic format (*.bmp
or *.png) on request.1 Images can also be pro-
vided in *.jpg format, but *.png (Portable Net-
work Graphics) is superior for line diagrams such
as those used here because it is a lossless com-
pression format that can be read by all Microsoft
products and most other standard software.
Keeping Up-to-Date. The focus of this
Glossary has always been within the ambit of the
Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES), but
today, many ministries and other agencies provide
educational services to the public as Laos moves
gradually toward an “education society”. This
Glossary has therefore also moved beyond the
ambit of MOES into a wider discoursal space.
Where terminology and abbreviations are
associated exclusively or mainly with a ministry
other than MOES, the relevant ministry is noted
where possible. While we can claim relatively
good coverage of the education sector, however,
coverage of other sectors will remain scanty.
We now include also definitions of special
terms originating in specialized international
organizations, such as UNESCO. Except for
statistical terminology referred to above, no
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
v
attempt is made to provide authoritative defini-
tions, but only to reflect the best informed usage
in the discourse in Laos.
We note with satisfaction that in recent years
a “new generation” of international terminology
has begun to enter the education literature in Laos,
and we need to reflect this new terminology here.
Thus such terms as “BarCamp”, MOOC, and
MOODLE took proud place beginning with the
51st Edition.
We have also begun to include general
definitions of what we perceive to be emergent
terminology in the Lao context. Thus such terms
as “blended learning” and “cognitive mobility”
are listed. For more precise and contextually valid
definitions, the reader is encouraged to consult the
relevant academic literature. If and when they
enter mainstream terminology in the literature on
education in Laos, we will remove them from this
Glossary.
In recognition of the significant contribution
of Buddhist education, we now include abbrevia-
tions, terms, and expressions from the literature on
Buddhist education in Laos. We have no expertise
in this field, and we take no position on
theological, ideological, or linguistic issues.
Definitions we provide are taken from the relevant
literature, but the reader should be aware that
words with very concrete meanings can also have
religiously significant symbolic meanings. Our
sole aim is to help the informed lay reader gain a
general understanding the Buddhist education
system in Laos.
In keeping with the widening of the focus of
the Glossary, we now include some references to
copyrighted materials (indicated by ® in the
entries) when they appear in literature falling
within the aims and scope of the Glossary as noted
above.
In view of the continued use of very outdated
terminology related to ethnicity, we have added
Annex Table 3 with a historical note on ethnic
groups in Laos.
Because we often find that incorrect and/or
outdated names used in reference to the various
ministries, we include a list of official English-
language names of Lao ministries (Annex Table
6). Similarly a list of provinces and common
place names is also provided (Annex Table 7).
Finally, in Annex Box 1 we provide a brief
historical timeline of seminal events in the
development of national education policy since
1990. This will gradually expand as gaps are
filled in.
Additional Sources. This Glossary is
intended to cover the education sector, even
though we sometimes have been compelled to
widen the scope somewhat. For much wider
reference, the best single source would be Martin
Stuart-Fox, Historical Dictionary of Laos,
published in numerous editions, including the title
The A to Z of Laos.
Appreciation. We would like to thank our
many colleagues in the Ministry of Education and
Sports, development partner agencies, NGOs, and
others who have contributed over the years to the
development of this Glossary, the first edition of
which was prepared in 1995. Inevitably, errors
and omissions remain, for which we alone take
responsibility. We invite readers to kindly inform
us of any flaws they find, either where relevant
terms are missing or where errors are found.
We would like to thank Ari Vitikainen for the
cover collage and design.
The reader is also encouraged to visit the
MOES website at: www.moe.gov.la
For an English-Lao bilingual glossary of
selected terms related to education system organ-
ization and management, published by the
Ministry with UNESCO support in 2003, see:
http://www.moe.gov.la/data/publications/9-
Glossary-Education-Terms-Bul1(6x9).pdf
The latest edition of this present Glossary will
always be available for downloading at:
http://tc.academia.edu/RichardNoonan
This Glossary and a collection of other useful
documents for can be found in the Resources for
Education Research in Laos Dropbox below.
That Dropbox was initiated by Ari Vitikainen and
is maintained by Ari and the authors of this
Glossary.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e79x3gsvmm94rsw
/AACBoKMizvuH1V5BsQpc7-pFa
R. & V. Noonan
Vientiane, January 21, 2015
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
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0 – 9
Note to readers of this section: Beginning in the
2009/2010 school year the structure of the school
system was changed from an 11-year 5+3+3 system
to a 12-year 5+4+3 system. Thus all references to
the 11-year system (e.g., 5+3, 8+3, 11+2, etc.) are
historical. Corresponding current references would
reflect this reform (e.g., 5+4, 9+3, 12+2, etc.).
0. [Formerly]. See Grade 0.
11+1. [History]. 1. Qualification for primary school
teachers, based on completion of upper secondary
schooling (eleven years of schooling) plus one year
of teacher education and training. 2. Any combin-
ation of schooling involving five years of primary
school, three years of lower secondary school,
three years of upper secondary school, and one
year of additional education or training. (See
Annex Figure 5).
11+2. [History]. 1. Technician Diploma level
course. 2. Qualification for pre-school and
primary school teachers, based on completion of
upper secondary schooling (eleven years of
schooling) plus two years of teacher education and
training. 3. Any combination of schooling
involving five years of primary school, three years
of lower secondary school, three years of upper
secondary school, and two year of additional
education or training. (See Annex Figure 5).
11+3. [History]. 1. Technician Diploma level
course. 2. Qualification for pre-school and
primary school teachers, based on completion of
upper secondary schooling (eleven years of
schooling) plus three years of teacher education
and training. 3. Any combination of schooling
involving five years of primary school, three years
of lower secondary school, three years of upper
secondary school, and three years of additional
education or training. (See Annex Figure 5).
12+2. TVET Technician Diploma program based on
a two-year program after completion of upper
secondary schooling.
12+3. TVET Diploma program based on a three-year
program after completion of upper secondary
schooling.
2020 Goal. The long-term goal of exiting the status
of Least Developed County by 2020, set by the 6th
Party Congress in March 1996, refined and re-
affirmed by each succeeding Party Congress.
(Also referred to as 2020 Strategy, 2020 Vision,
Vision 2020). (See LDC, definition 1; Notes to
LDC).
3 Builds. See Three Builds.
3 Characteristics of Education. Lao: 3 Laksana.
See Three Characteristics of Education.
3 Laksana. See Three Characteristics of Education.
3 Pillars. See Three Pillars of Education Sector
Development.
3 Revolutions. See Three Revolutions.
3+3. [History]. Primary school cycle under the RLG
comprising three years of lower primary and three
years of upper primary.
4 Breakthroughs. See Four Breakthroughs.
4 Pillars of Education. See Four Pillars of
Education.
4 Pillars of Poverty Eradication Strategy. Also
Four Sectors of Poverty Eradication Strategy. See
Four Pillars of Poverty Eradication Strategy.
4+1+1. School construction design that includes 4
classrooms, a multi-use room that supports science
teaching and provides space for a library, and a
teacher-resource room.
4+2. [History]. Four years of primary schooling
followed by two years of lower secondary
schooling, in the Liberated Zone from the early
1960s until 1975.
5 Domains of Education. Also 5 Principles of
Education. Lao: 5 Lakmoun. See Five Domains of
Education.
5 Lakmoun. See Five Domains of Education.
5 Principles of Education. Lao: 5 Lakmoun. See
Five Domains of Education.
5 Priority Programs. See Five Priority Programs.
5+3+3. [History]. Eleven year school system
structure comprising five years of primary, three
years of lower secondary, and three years of upper
secondary schooling, to be replaced in school year
2009/2010. (See 5+4+3).
5+4. [History]. Qualification for primary school
teachers based on completion of primary school
(five years of schooling) plus four years of teacher
education and training, targeted specifically on
preparing teachers from remote and ethnic com-
munities. (See Annex Figure 5).
5+4+3. Twelve year school system structure
comprising five years of primary, four years of
lower secondary, and three years of upper
secondary schooling, implemented from school
year 2009/2010. (See Annex Figure 1).
5-Pointed Star. See Five Pointed Star.
5S-model. [Japanese]. Seiri (Clearing, Sorting,
Tidiness), Seiton (Organizing, Orderliness), Seiso
(Cleaning, Cleanliness), Seiketsu (Standardizing),
Shitsuke (Discipline, Commitment). (Slogan used
in TVET).
6 Principles of Education. See Six Principles of
Education.
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6 Principles of Education Reform. See Six
Principles of Education Reform.
6+1. [History]. Under the RLG until 1964, primary
teacher qualifications, comprising completion of
six years primary school plus one year of teacher
training. (See Annex Figure 5; see also 6+4).
6+4. [History]. Under the RLG 1965-1968, primary
teacher qualifications, comprising completion of
six years primary school plus four years of teacher
training. (See Annex Figure 5; see also 6+1,
6+4+1).
6+4+1. [History]. Under the RLG after 1968, upper
primary teacher qualifications, comprising com-
pletion of six years primary school plus four years
of teacher training for lower primary qualification
plus one additional year. (See Annex Figure 5; see
also 6+1, 6+4).
7NSEDP. 7th NSEDP.
8 Priorities. See Eight Priorities.
8+3. 1. Vocational Certificate course. 2. [History].
Any combination of schooling involving five years
of primary school, three years of lower secondary
school, and three years of additional education or
training. (See Annex Figure 5). 3. [History].
Qualification for primary school teachers, based on
completion of lower secondary schooling (eight
years of schooling) plus three years of teacher
education and training.
9+1, 9+2, 9+3. TVET Certificate program based on a
three-year continuous curriculum program after
completion of lower secondary schooling. (See
TVET Certificate, VC I to VC III).
A
AAA. Analytical and Advisory [work, services].
(WB).
AACTE. [History]. American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education.
AAF. Australia Awards Fellowships. (Formerly
ALAF. See also AAS).
AANZFTA. ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand
for a Free Trade Agreement.
AAOU. Asian Association of Open Universities.
AAR Japan. Association for Aid and Relief. (NGO,
Japan).
AAS. Australia Awards Scholarship. (Formerly
ADS).
ABEL. Access to Basic Education in Laos (2006-
2011). (External financing by AusAID, through
partnership with UNICEF and WFP).
Abhidhamma [Pitaka]. Pali: [literally “Basket”,
hence collection of] Scholarly discourses on the
doctrinal material appearing in the Suttas,
providing summaries or enumerated lists. (See
also Tipitaka).
ABV. Australian Business Volunteers. (NGO).
ACCU. Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO.
(UNESCO Bangkok).
ACDA. Aid Children with Disability Association.
(Lao NPA, definition 2).
ACESP. Annual Costed Education Sector Plan.
(Also ACSEP; ACSP).
ACF. French: Action Contre la Faim. Action
Against Hunger. (NGO, France).
ACR. All Children Reading. (Partnership between
USAID, Australian Aid and World Vision).
ACS. Average Class Size.
ACSEP. Annual Costed Sector Plan. (Also ACESP,
ACSP).
ACSP. Annual Costed Sector Plan. (Also ACESP;
ACSEP).
ACSS. ASEAN Community Statistical System.
Action skills. Skills in applying knowledge in
practice, including planning, organizing, setting
goals, and implementing; doing, as opposed to
knowing.
ACTS. ASEAN Credit Transfer System. (Facilitates
physical and virtual student mobility among AUN
member universities).
ACU. ASEAN Cyber University.
ADB. Asian Development Bank.
Historical Note: ADB began operations in Laos in
1968 under the RLG.
ADBI. Asian Development Bank Institute.
ADF. Asian Development Fund. (ADB).
Adjusted Net Attendance Ratio. Note: UIS does
not define this statistic (see NERA), but it is used
in household sample surveys which do not access
school records, such as MICS. There it is defined
for primary level as the percentage of children of
the official primary school age who are attending
primary or secondary school, and for secondary
level as the percentage of children of the official
secondary school age who are attending secondary
school or higher. (Compare with Adjusted Net
Enrollment Rate).
Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate. (NERA). UIS
Definition: For primary level, it is defined as the
total number of students of the official primary
school age group who are enrolled at either
primary or secondary education levels, expressed
as a percentage of the corresponding population.
(Also ANER). (Compare with Age-Specific
Enrollment Rate, GER, NER).
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ADOR. Average Dropout Rate. Note: UIS does not
define this statistic. (See DR).
ADPC. Asian Disaster Preparedness Center.
(Pathumthani, Thailand).
ADR. Assessment of Development Results.
(Evaluation of UNDP’s contribution).
ADRA. Adventist Development and Relief Agency.
(NGO, international).
ADS. [Formerly]. Australian Development
Scholarship. (See AAS).
ADTA. Advisory Technical Assistance (ADB; see
also AOTA).
AEAsea[SEA]. French: Aide et Action. Aid and Action
Southeast Asia. Author trans. (INGO; see AEAI).
AEAi[I]. French: Aide et Action [International]. Aid
and Action [International]. Author trans. (INGO,
Switzerland).
AEC2015[2015]. ASEAN Economic Community. (To
be established December 31, 2015). (See also
AFTA).
AED. Academy for Educational Development.
(NGO, USA).
AF. Additional Financing. (WB).
AfA. Association for Autism. (Lao NPA, definition
2).
AFAM. Administrative, Financial, and Accounting
Manual.
AFD. French: Agence Française de Développement.
French Development Agency.
AFESIP. French: Agir pour les Femmes en Situation
Précaire. Acting for Women in Distressing
Circumstances. (NGO, Cambodia).
AFS. Audited financial statement.
AFSC. American Friends Service Committee.
(NGO, USA). (See also QSL).
AFTA. ASEAN Free Trade Area. (See also AEC).
Historical Note: Established 1992, with Lao
membership since 1997.
Age-Specific Enrollment Rate. UIS Definition:
Percentage of the population of a specific age
enrolled, irrespective of the level of education.
Sometimes used to calculate ASER by individual
levels of education, e.g., primary. (Compare with
Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate, Gross Enrollment
Ratio, Net Enrollment Rate).
AgriNet. Agricultural Learning Network [for the
Northern Uplands].
AIA. ASEAN Investment Area.
AIDS. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
(Sometimes incorrectly listed as Auto Immuno-
deficiency Syndrome.)
AIM. Asian Institute of Management. (Manila)
AIP. Annual Implementation Plan.
AIR. Apparent Intake Rate.
AIT. Asian Institute of Technology. (Hanoi).
Aj. Lao: See Ajan.
Ajan. Also Achan. Lao: 1. Teacher, typically at
secondary or higher level. (Compare with Ku).
2. Title used to address education officials
respected for their knowledge. (Compare with
Maha).
ALA. Australian Leadership Awards.
ALAF. [Formerly]. Australian Leadership Awards
Fellowship. (See AAF).
ALAS. Australian Leadership Award Scholarship.
ALC. Action with Lao Children. (NGO, Japan;
formerly ASPB).
Historical Note: Founded 1982 as ASPB, renamed
ALC 2005. (See also CCC).
ALM. Audio-Lingual Method [of second language
teaching].
ALMM. ASEAN Labor Ministers’ Meeting.
AM. Aide Memoire. (Also A-M).
AMD. Asset Management Division (DOF/MOES).
AMMS. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports.
AMS. ASEAN Member State.
ANER. Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate. (Also
NERA).
ANFE. Adult non-formal education.
ANOBS. Alfred Nobel Open Business School
Limited (Hong Kong).
ANOVA. Analysis of Variance. (Statistical analysis
method).
ANPRO. Analysis and Projection. (UNESCO model
for education planning). (See also LANPRO).
AOG. Also AG. Assemblies of God. (NGO, USA).
AOP. Annual Operation Plan.
AOPB. Annual Operational Plan and Budget.
AOR. Annual Operation Review.
AOTA. Advisory and Operational Technical
Assistance (ADB; also see ADTA).
AP. 1. Action Plan. 2. Action Program. 3. Annual
Plan. 4. Authorization to Pay.
APA. Audited project account.
APARNET. Asia Pacific Academic Recognition
Network.
APEC. 1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
2. Asia Pacific Economic Conference.
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APEFE. French: l’Association pour la promotion de
l’éducation et de la formation à l’étranger.
Association for Promoting Education and Training
Abroad. (Belgium).
APEID. Asia-Pacific Program of Educational
Innovation for Development. (UNESCO
Bangkok)
APEL. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning.
(See also APL, definition 2; RPL).
APEN. Asia Professional Education Network.
APHEDA. Australian People’s Help in Education
and Development. Also known as Union Aid
Abroad-APHEDA. (NGO, Australia).
APL. 1. Adaptable Program Loan (WB).
2. Accreditation of Prior Learning. (See also
APEL, RPL).
APP. Annual procurement plan.
Apparent Intake Rate. (AIR). UIS Definition:
Total number of new entrants in the 1st grade of
primary education, regardless of age, expressed as
percentage of the population at the official primary
school-entrance age. Note that this definition
appeared in the 2003 technical guidelines for the
term “AIR” and in the 2009 guidelines for the term
“GIR”. (Compare with NIR).
APPEAL. Asia and Pacific Program of Education
for All. (UNESCO Bangkok).
Historical Note: Launched in 1987, aiming to
facilitate through regional co-operation in:
Achievement of universal primary education;
Eradication of illiteracy; and
Provision of continuing education.
(Compare with Colombo Plan, Jontien, Karachi
Plan).
APPREB. Asia-Pacific Cooperative Program in
Reading Promotion and Book Development.
APQN. Asia-Pacific Quality Network. (See also
AQAN).
APSC. ASEAN Political Security Community.
APT. ASEAN Plus Three. (ASEAN plus China,
Japan, and the Republic of Korea).
AQAN. ASEAN Quality Assurance Network. (See
also APQN).
AQRF. ASEAN Qualification Reference
Framework.
ARC. Asia Research Center (NUOL).
ARMI. Association for Rural Mobilization and
Improvement. (Lao NPA, definition 2).
ARNEC. Asia Pacific Regional Network for Early
Childhood (UNICEF, Bangkok).
ARO. Asia Regional Office.
ARQ. Above required qualification. (Compare with
BRQ, RQ).
ARR. Average Repetition Rate. Note: UIS does not
define this statistic. (See RR).
ARTC. APPEAL Resource and Training
Consortium. (UNESCO Bangkok).
ASA. Association of Southeast Asia. (Established in
1961 by the Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand).
ASAIHL. Association of Southeast Asian Institu-
tions of Higher Learning.
ASCC. ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
ASCF. Annual School Census Form.
ASCOE. ASEAN Sub-committee on Education.
(See also SEAMEO).
ASD. Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
ASEAN. Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam).
Note: These ten countries are referred to as “Core
ASEAN”. The secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia).
(See also AEC, APT, ASCC).
Historical Note: Formed in 1967 (as an outgrowth
of ASA) by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, and Thailand. Laos obtained observer
status in 1992 and membership in 1997.
ASEAN plus 1. ASEAN plus China.
ASEAN plus 3. ASEAN plus China, Japan, Republic
of Korea. (Also APT).
ASEAN plus 6. ASEAN plus Australia, China,
India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand.
(Also APT).
ASED. ASEAN Education Ministers’ Meeting.
(Compare with SOMED).
ASER. Age Specific Enrollment Rate.
ASLO. [National] Assessment of Student Learning
Outcomes. (Sometimes written incorrectly as
ALSO). (Based on the national student assessment
approach of IEA).
ASOER. ASEAN State of Education Report.
ASP. [Dated]. Association of Students’ Parents.
ASPB. Association for Sending Picture Books [to
Lao Children]. (NGO, Japan. Renamed ALC).
ASPBAE. Asia South Pacific Association of Basic
and Adult Education.
ASPnet. Associated Schools Project Network.
ASPR. 1. Annual Sector Performance Report.
2. Annual Sector Progress Report.
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Assistant Minister. A senior official serving below
Vice Minister and above Director General. (See
Annex Figure 7. Not to be confused with Deputy
Minister).
ASV. American School of Vientiane. (Private).
AT. Academic teacher.
ATP. Attapeu Province.
ATS. Agriculture technical school.
AUD. Australian Dollar.
AUF. French: Agence Universitaire de la
Francophonie. Association of Universities of the
Francophonie. Author trans. (Montréal, Canada).
AUN. ASEAN University Network. (Established
1995; NUOL is a member).
AUN/SEED-Net. Southeast Asia Engineering
Education Development Network (an autonomous
sub-network of AUN).
AUN-QA. AUN Quality Assurance [initiative].
AusAID. [Formerly]. Australian Agency for Inter-
national Development. Integrated November
2013, into the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (DFAT). (See Australian Aid).
Australian Aid. [Officially]. Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade - Australian Aid. (Formerly
AusAID).
Australian Union Aid Abroad. See APHEDA.
Average Annual Growth Rate. Geometric growth
rate, commonly expressed as a percent. Calculated
as (EXP(LN(Y2/Y1)/N)-1)*100, where Y1 is the
value of a variable in the initial period, Y2 is the
value in the final period, and N is the number of
periods. (Contrast with YOY).
AVID. Australian Volunteers for International
Development. (Note: As an adjective, avid means
enthusiastic, eager).
AWP. Annual Work Plan.
AY. Academic Year. (Compare with CY, FY, SY).
AYAD. Australian Youth Ambassador Development
[program].
B
B.TVE. Bachelor degree in TVE.
Ba[A]. Bachelor [degree]. (See also B.TVE).
BAC. 1. Buddhist Aid Center. (NGO, Japan).
2. Baccalauréat. Le Bac.
Baccalauréat. [History]. Also Bac, definition 2.
French: Baccalaureate. School-leaving examina-
tion upon completion of Lycée that qualifies the
successful candidates for university entrance.
BAFIS. German: Beschäftigungsorientierte Aus- und
Fortbildung für Zielgruppen aus dem Informellen
Sektor. [Occupationally Oriented Basic and
Further Training for Target Groups from the
Informal Sector]. Author trans. (External financ-
ing by GTZ).
Ban. Village. (Compare with Khumban).
BarCamp. International network of participant-
generated conferences or open workshops, focused
primarily on technology and the Web. (See
EDUCAMP 2014).
BASE. Broadening Access to Sustainable Education.
Baseline Assessment. Assessment prior to an inter-
vention. (Compare with Midline Assessment,
Endline Assessment).
Basic education. 1. Pre-school, primary, lower
secondary education. 2. [Sub-sectors in EFA
context] Pre-school, primary, lower secondary, and
non-formal. The concept has varied over time.
(Compare with Non-basic education and PBE).
Historical Note: Until the publication in 2005 of
the EFA NPA, 2003-2015, “basic education” was
understood to include only pre-school and primary,
although inclusion of lower secondary as part of
basic education was foreshadowed the “Education
Strategic Planning” document of August 2001
(Part II, Sect. V, Para. 5). This was a reflection of
the outcomes of the 7th Party Congress in March
2001. With the Education Law of 2007, basic
education was formally extended to include lower
secondary education.
Basic education cycle school. School covering
Grades 1-9 by adding Grades 6-9 to a complete
and well-functioning primary school, including
those using multi-grade approaches, to expand
education access in remote areas.
Basic education school. See Basic education cycle
school.
Basic Education Teacher. [History]. Under the
USAID education program before the Revolution,
teacher sent to Community Rural Education
Centers, mainly to teach adults basic literacy,
numeracy, and other basic knowledge and skills.
(See CREC. See also USAID, Historical Note).
BBM. Big Brother Mouse. (Lao NPA, definition 2).
BC. Bidding Committee.
BCI. Behavioral Change Initiative.
BD. [History]. Budget Department.
BDEA. Buddha Dharma Education Association.
BDP. Buddhism for Development Project.
BE. Buddhist Era. Also B.E. (Note: The Lao
Buddhist Era and Common Era years differ by
543, with the Lao Buddhist New Year celebrated
on Common Era April 17).
BEd. Bachelor of Education [degree].
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BEDA. Basic Education in Disadvantaged Areas
(DTT/MOES).
BEDP. Basic Education Development Project.
(Follow-up to BEGP) (External financing by
ADB).
BEGE. Basic Education and Gender Equality
[Program] (UNICEF).
BEGP. Basic Education (Girls) Project. (External
financing by ADB and AusAID; see LABEP).
BENC. Basic Education in the Northern Commun-
ities. (External financing by EU).
BEPC. [History]. French: Brevet d’études du
premier cycle [du 2ème degré]. General certificate
of secondary education [1st cycle]. (Lower
secondary, grades 6-8).
BEQUAL. Basic Education Quality and Access in
Lao PDR. (External financing by Australian Aid).
BESDP. Basic Education Sector Development
Program. (External financing by ADB).
BESDP II. Second Basic Education Sector
Development Program. (External financing by
ADB). (Renamed SESDP).
BFD. Buddhism for Development [Project].
BFP. Bridge Fund Program. (US Embassy).
BFSS. British and Foreign School Society.
BFW. Blessing Flower World. (NGO, Republic of
Korea).
BG. [Formerly] Block grant. (See also SBG); now
see REF).
BHC. Buddhist Health Center.
Bhikkhu/Bhikkhuni: Pali: In Theravada Buddhism, a
fully ordained monk/nun.
BIAAG. Because I am a Girl. (Social movement).
BKO. Bokeo Province.
BKX. Borikhamxay Province.
BLC. Basic Learning Competencies.
Blended learning. Formal education programs
involving both classroom activities and computer -
mediated activities. (Also “hybrid”, “technology-
mediated instruction”, “web-enhanced instruction”,
“mixed-mode instruction”, and others).
Bloom’s Taxonomy. Classification of learning
objectives into three domains:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Comprehension,
Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis);
Affective (Receiving, Responding, Valuing,
Organizing, Characterizing); and
Psychomotor (Perception, Set or disposition,
Guided response, Mechanism, Complex overt
response, Adaptation, Origination). (Continued)
Note: Named after B. S. Bloom. (Contrast with
SOLO).
BMZ. German: Bundesministerium für
wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung.
[Federal Ministry for Economic Development and
Cooperation]. (Germany).
BNl[L]. Basic Needs [Lao PDR]. NGO. (UK).
BODMAS. Brackets, Order, Divide, Multiply, Add,
and Subtract. (Order of mathematical operations;
taught in primary school).
BOL. Bank of Lao PDR.
BOLIGO. Borikhamxay Livelihood Improvement
and Governance Project. (Lux-Development)
Bonze. Buddhist monk. (In the context of Theravada
Buddhism of Laos, the term is archaic and
considered by some to be pejorative).
BOQ. Bill of quantities.
Boukthalu. Lao: Breakthrough [literally, as when a
tree falls and crashes through a roof]. (See Four
Breakthroughs; see also Sam sang).
BPE. [History]. Bureau of Private Education.
(MOE, renamed DPE, later DPEM. Now see
PEACO).
Bridging [Course / Curriculum / Program / Year].
1. (Higher Education). [History]. Instruction
intended to make up for formal or informal
deficiencies in requirements for an education or
training course or program, such as a program
intended for primary school graduates to enter a
teacher education program intended for lower
secondary school graduates. 2. (TVET). Course
or curriculum with transferable credit and
recognition of prior learning (RPL).
BRQ. Below required qualification. (Compare with
ARQ, RQ).
BTC. Belgian Technical Cooperation. (Also referred
to as “Belgian Development Cooperation” or the
“Belgian Development Agency”, as it is Belgium’s
official development cooperation agency).
BTOR. Back to Office Report.
BTTC. Bankeun Teacher Training College.
Buddhist Calendar. (Note: The Lao Buddhist
calendar and Common calendar differ by 543
years, with the Lao Buddhist New Year celebrated
on Common Era April 17. See BE).
BVEST. Basic Vocational Education and Skills
Training.
C
C. Certificate. (Compare with CV).
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CA. 1. Coordinating Agency. 2. Communicative
Approach [to second language teaching].
CACIM. Committee for Approval of Curriculum
and Instructional Materials.
CAMS. Computerized Asset Management System.
CAP. 1. Country Action Plan. 2. [History].
Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle. [Certificate
of Professional Aptitude]. (Under the Education
Reform Act of 1962, the first regular two-year
cycle of technical and professional preparation in
Matanyom 3 and Matanyom 4). (Compare with
DEP).
CapEFA. Capacity Development for EFA.
CARE [International]. 1. Cooperative for
Assistance and Relief Everywhere. [Federation of
national CARE Members]. (INGO).
Historical Note: CARE worked in Laos in the
1950s initially under the name “Cooperative for
American Remittances to Everywhere”. In 1959
the meaning of the acronym was changed to “Co-
operative for American Relief Everywhere”.
Caritas. Confederation of Roman Catholic relief,
development, and social service organizations.
(INGO).
CAS. Country Assistance Strategy (WB).
CAW. Country Analytic Work.
CB. 1. Cost/benefit. (Compare with CE, definition
1). 2. Capacity Building.
CBA. Competency Based Assessment.
CBC. 1. Community-Based Contracting [for school
construction]. 2. Community Based Construction.
3. Competency Based Curriculum.
CBCOM. Community-based Contracting Operating
Manual. (Prepared for EDP II).
CBCP. Community-based civil works and procure-
ment.
CBE. Campus based education. (See also DE).
CBF. Children’s Book Festival. (Supported by
ALC).
CBI. Community–based initiative.
CBL. Competency based learning. (See also CBT).
CBM. Capacity Building and Management.
(Component in EDP II).
CBO. Community-based organization.
CBR. Community-based rehabilitation.
CBSRp[P]. Community Based School Readiness
[Program]. (Also SRP).
CBT. Competency based training. (See also CBL).
CCA. Common Country Assessment. (Conducted
by the UNCT).
CCC. Children’s Cultural Center.
Historical Note: First CCC founded in Vientiane in
1994, now with some 20 CCCs around the country.
Supported by ALC.
CCCD. Child-Centered Community Development.
CCDG. Community Child Development Group.
CCED. Community Committee for Education
Development.
CCL. French: Comité de Coopération avec le Laos.
Committee for Cooperation with Laos. Author
trans. (NGO, France).
CCOP. [Party] Central Committee of Organization
and Personnel.
CCPE. [History]. Consultant Council on Private
Education. (Advisory body to BPE).
CCR. Cohort Completion Rate.
CCT. 1. Conditional cash transfer. 2. Cross-cutting
Theme.
CCU. Committee for Cooperation with UNICEF.
CD. 1. Capacity development. 2. Coordinating
Department.
CDAP. Capacity Development Action Plan.
CDB. Capacity Development Baseline.
CDD. Community Driven Development.
CDEC. Continuing and Distance Education Center.
(NUOL).
CDF. 1. Comprehensive Development Framework
(WB). 2. Capacity Development Framework.
Note: The ESDP review and update, published by
MOES 18 December 2013, assigns priority to the
preparation of the Capacity Development
Framework during the period 2016-2020.
CDPM. Capacity Development Progress Map.
CDS. Capacity Development Strategy.
CDTC. Community Development Training Center.
CE. 1. Cost-effectiveness. (Compare with CB).
2. Continuing education. 3. Comparative educa-
tion. 4. Capacity enhancement (especially WB).
CEC. 1. Continuing Education Center. (FOE,
NUOL). 2. Children's Educational [Development]
Center.
CEDC. 1. Children in especially difficult
circumstances. 2. Community Education
Development Center.
Cedefop. French: Centre Européen pour le
Développement de la Formation Professionnelle.
European Center for the Development of
Vocational Training. (Thessaloniki, Greece).
CEDS. Center for Environment and Development
Studies. (NUOL).
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CEFASE. French: Consolidation de l’enseignement
du français en Asie du Sud-Est. Consolidation of
the teaching of French in Southeast Asia. Author
trans.
CELC. Center for English Language Communica-
tion. (NUS).
Center. 1. MOES centers include:
Education Standards and Quality Assurance
Center (ESQAC);
Inclusive Education Center (IEC);
Strategic Research & Educational Analysis
Center (SREAC);
Information and Communication Technology
Center (ICTC); and
Education and Sports Research Center (ESRC).
2. Generic term covering specialized teaching and
research units. See also CSD, ELRC, ETC,
NFEDC, TVET Center, WEDC. (Compare with
College, Institute).
Central Region. Xiengkhuang, Xaysomboon
(formerly Xaysomboon SR), Vientiane Province,
Vientiane Capital, Borikhamxay, Khammuane,
Savannakhet. (See also Northern Region and
Southern Region).
CEPCi[I]. [History]. French: Certificat d’Études
Primaires Complémentaires [Indigène /
Indochinoises]. Completion certificate for primary
schooling, 2nd cycle, P4-P6.
Historical Note: Initially the term Indigène
(indigenous) was used, but after the French
withdrew, that term was seen as pejorative and was
replaced by Indochinoises.
CEPEi[I]. Certificat d’Études Primaires
Élémentaires [Indigène / Indochinoises]).
(Completion certificate for primary schooling, 1st
cycle, P1-P3). (See Note to CEPC).
CEQA. Center for Educational Quality Assurance.
(See Note to ESQAC). (MOES, see Annex Figure
7).
CERD. [International] Convention on the Elimina-
tion of all Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Certified teacher. Teacher having a certificate of
completion of teacher training from a TEI. (See
Uncertified teacher, Qualified teacher; see also
Figure 5).
CES. [History]. Capital Education Service. (I.e.
Education Service in Vientiane Capital. Compare
with PES. See also VCESS).
Cesvi. Italian: Cooperazione e Sviluppo. [Co-
operation and Development]. (NGO, Italy).
CEWED. [Formerly]. Center for Promotion of
Education for Women, Ethnic, and People with
Disabilities. (See IEC).
CF. 1. Counterpart fund. 2. Catalytic Fund. (Multi-
donor trust fund managed by the World Bank. See
also CFC; ECF; FTI).
CFAE. French: Centre de Formation des
Administrateurs de l’Education. See IEMD.
CFC. Catalytic Fund Committee.
CFL. ChildFund Laos. (NGO, Australia).
CFLE. Child Friendly Learning Environment.
(UNICEF).
CFS. Child-Friendly School. (See SOQ).
CFT. Competency Framework for Teachers.
CG. Community Grant. (EDP II).
CGECR. Committee for General Education
Curriculum Reform.
CHAFC. Champasak Agriculture and Forestry
College.
Chao Khoueng. Lao: [Provincial] Governor.
Chao Muang. Lao: [District] Governor, Mayor.
CHF. Swiss Franc.
CHOICE. Cambridge Hong Kong-Operation for
International Children’s Education. (NGO, Hong
Kong).
CIC. Committee for Investment and Cooperation.
(PMO).
CIDA. Canadian International Development Agency.
CIDSE. French: Coopération Internationale pour le
Développement et la Solidarité. International
Cooperation for Development and Solidarity.
Author trans. (NGO, Belgium).
CIED. Community Initiative for Education
Development. (External financing by JICA).
Civil society. Non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), community organizations, professional
associations, NPA, definition 2. (Compare with
Mass organization).
CLC. Community Learning Center (under the
PESS).
CLE. Concentrated Language Encounter.
CLI. Community Learning International. (NGO,
USA).
CLMV. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam.
CLT. Communicative Language Teaching [approach
to second language teaching].
CLTS. Community-Led Total Sanitation. (PI).
Cluster. See School cluster.
CMDT. Curriculum [and] Materials Development
Team.
CMIS. 1. Contract Management Information
System. 2. Construction Management Information
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System. (Compare with EMIS, FMIS, GIS,
PMIS).
CMS. Course Management System. (See also LMS,
VLE)
CN. Concept Note.
CNC. See CNTC.
CNTC. Charter of National Teacher Competencies.
(See also CNC; NTC).
CO. Country Office. (E.g. of a DP).
COA. Chart of Accounts.
COBIAC. Collectif de Bibliothécaires et Inter-
venants en Action Culturelle. International
Collaboration for Promotion of Reading and
Libraries. (NGO, France).
COBP. Country Operations Business Plan. (ADB).
COE. Center of Excellence.
Cognitive mobility. 1. (Concerning employment).
Transition from one field of specialization to
another, especially concerning labor mobility
between fields. 2. (Concerning child development)
Movement or “mobility” in thinking and reason-
ing, linking mental image to mental image, concept
to concept, idea to idea.
Cohort Completion Rate. (CCR). UIS Definition:
Percentage of a cohort of pupils enrolled in the 1st
grade of primary education in a given school year
who are expected to complete this level of
education. The CCR is the product of the
probability of reaching the last grade and the
probability of graduating from the last grade.
(Compare with Survival Rate; Gross Graduation
Ratio).
Collège. [History]. French: In the French language
terminology of the colonial and post-colonial
periods, lower secondary level institution offering
1 or 2 year programs following a six-year primary
school. (See also Lycée. Not to be confused with
the English College).
College. Post-secondary institutions offering non-
degree programs, usually private, fee-paying, and
market-driven. (Not to be confused with the
French Collège. Compare with Institute.)
Colombo Plan [for Cooperative Economic and
Social Development in Asia and the Pacific]. A
framework for bi-lateral arrangements involving
foreign aid and technical assistance for the
economic and social development. It provides
scholarships and third-country support for training.
(Also see NCP).
Historical Note: Established in 1950 at a Common-
wealth Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in
Colombo, Sri Lanka. Laos joined in 1951. (See
CPSC).
Commune. [Formerly]. Administrative unit below
District and above Village. (Abolished in 2000.)
See Sub-district.
Community teacher. Teacher (regardless of qualifi-
cations) employed by the community, whose
remuneration is based on negotiation with the
school or community leaders, often involving non-
monetary benefits. Also referred to as Village
teacher or Volunteer teacher. (See also Contract
Teacher; Quota teacher; Volunteer Teacher).
Competency based training. [According to TVET
Law, December 2013] Learning based on specific
curriculum with testing against competency
standards determined in real-world production
units.
Complete school. 1. Primary school in which
instruction in all five grades is offered. (Compare
with Incomplete school, Multi-grade school,
Shifting classes. See also School cluster).
2. Secondary school combining lower and upper
secondary levels. (See Annex Figure 2).
Completion Rate. Note: UIS does not define a
“Completion Rate” because the term is ambiguous.
When “Completion Rate” is written, either Cohort
Completion Rate (CCR), Gross Graduation Ratio,
or Survival Rate (SR) is usually meant.
Compulsory schooling.
Historical Note: In 1951, under the RLG, a law
was passed instituting compulsory, free, three-year
primary education all children residing within a
radius of one kilometer from a public school. In
1952 a complementary law was passed requiring
the establishment of a primary school (provided
sufficient funds were available) in any community
with a sufficient number of children. In March
1991 the 5th Party Congress established the policy
of enforcement of free and compulsory education.
In August 1996 the Compulsory Education Decree
provided for free and compulsory primary
education.
Comstrat. Communication Strategy. (Reference to
“Communication Strategy (2013-2020) to support
the Education Reform Agenda”).
Concern [Worldwide Lao PDR]. (NGO, Ireland).
CONFEMEN. French: Conférence des Ministres de
l’Éducation des pays ayant le français en partage.
Conference of Ministers of Education of Countries
Sharing the Use of French.
CONFRASIE. French: La Conférence régionale des
Recteurs des universités membres de l’Agence
universitaire de la Francophonie en Asie-
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Pacifique. Regional Conference of Rectors of
Members of the Association of Universities of the
Francophonie of Asia and the Pacific. Author
trans. (See also AUF).
Consortium. (NGO, Laos). See WE / Consortium.
Constitution. The first constitution of the Lao PDR
was promulgated in August 1991. An amended
constitution was promulgated in May 2003.
Revisions to the constitution are currently (late
2014) under discussion in the NA.
Continuing Curriculum. See also Continuous
Curriculum; Transition Curriculum.
Continuous Curriculum. Curriculum that facilitates
continuation or upgrading of qualification in a
particular trade area.
Continuous Education. (TVET). Education and
training for upgrading level of qualification or
increasing knowledge and skills within any subject
or for any occupation. See also Continuous
Curriculum; Transition Curriculum.
Contract teacher. Teacher (regardless of qualifica-
tions) employed on the basis of a contract,
typically of one year duration, whose salary is
governed by recommendations from the Ministry
of Education and Sports but agreed by the
contracting parties (e.g., the teacher and the
village). (See also Community Teacher; Quota
teacher; Village teacher; Volunteer teacher).
Note: The concept of contract teacher should be
distinguished from the concept of Under-qualified
or Unqualified teachers, since there exist contract
teachers who are fully Qualified.
COPE. Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic
Enterprise.
CORC. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
(UN; also CRC).
Cord. Also CORD. Christian Outreach for Relief
and Development. (INGO, UK).
Core ASEAN. See ASEAN, Note.
Core school. A primary complete school serving as a
pedagogical support center in a school cluster and
providing the upper grades for students in the
feeder incomplete schools. (See Annex Figure 4).
(Compare with Satellite school. See also Groupe
scolaire).
COSO. Central Operations Service Office (ADB).
CP. Child Protection.
CPA. Country Performance Assessment. (ADB).
CPAC. Child Policy, Advocacy, and
Communication [Program]. (UNICEF priority
program).
CPAR. Country Procurement Assessment and
Review. (WB).
CPC. 1. [Formerly] Committee for Planning and
Cooperation. (Changed to CPI in 2004; formerly
State Planning Committee, SPC). 2. Central
Planning Committee. 3. Country Program
Coordinator.
CPD. Continuing Professional Development.
CPF. French: Centre Provincial Francophone.
Provincial Francophone Center. (Plural: Centres
Provinciaux Francophones).
CPI. 1. Clear Path International. (NGO, USA).
2. Consumer Price Index. 3. [Formerly]. Com-
mittee for Planning and Investment (MOFA).
(Replaced CPC, under PMO; replaced SPC. Now
see MPI).
CPIA. Country Policy and Institutional Assessment.
(IDA).
CPM. Critical Path Method.
CPN. Child Protection Network.
CPO. Country Program Outline. (PI).
CPPR. Country Portfolio Performance Review.
(WB).
CPRA. Country Procurement Risk Assessment.
(WB).
CPRM. Country Portfolio Review Mission. (ADB).
CPS. 1. Champasak Province. 2. Country
Partnership Strategy. (ADB, formerly CSP; WB).
CPSC. Colombo Plan Staff College [for Technician
Education]. (Manila).
CPSPR. Country Partnership Strategy Progress
Report. (WB).
CQA. [Formerly]. Center for Quality Assurance.
(See ESQAC).
CQAF. Common Quality Assurance Framework.
CQO. Chief Quality Officer. (NUOL).
CQS. Consultant Qualification Selection. (Selection
based on consultant’s qualifications). (ADB, WB).
CR. Classroom.
CRC. 1. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
(UN; also CORC). 2. Camera-ready copy.
3. Citizen Report Card. 4. Community Report
Card.
CREC. [History]. French: Centre Rural d’Éducation
Communautaire. Rural Community Education
Center. Author trans. (Later referred to by
USAID as Community Rural Education Center”).
Crèche. French: Day nursery, nominally for children
aged 3 months to 3 years. (See ECCD,
Kindergarten, Pre-school; see Annex Figure 3).
CRG. Child Rights Governance.
CRIN. Child Rights Information Network.
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11
CRPD. Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities.
CRPF. Compensation and Resettlement Policy
Framework.
CRS. Catholic Relief Services. (NGO, inter-
national).
CRSA. Child Rights Situation Analysis.
CRWRC. [Formerly]. Christian Reformed World
Relief Committee. (INGO. Now see WR).
CS. Competency Standard.
CSA. 1. Civil Society Association. 2. Center for
Study Abroad (Japanese educational exchange
organization). 3. Commission for Solidarity with
the Asian Underprivileged. (NGO, Japan).
CSD. Center for Skill Development. (Vientiane).
CSN. Children with special needs.
CSO. Civil society organization. (See also NPA,
definition 2).
CSP. 1. Country Strategic Plan. 2. [Formerly].
Country Strategy and Program (ADB, now CPS).
CSPU. Country Strategy and Program Update.
(ADB).
CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility.
CSS. Competency Standard Setting.
CTPC. See MCTPC.
CU. Champasak University. (Established 2002.
Sometimes referred to as Pakse University, with
reference to the town in which it is located in
Champasak Province. See Annex Table 2.)
CU5. Children under five years of age.
CUSO. Canadian [University] Services Overseas.
(NGO, Canada).
CV. “Certificate Vocational”. (See 9+3; CAP,
definition 2; VC I to VC III).
CW. Concern Worldwide. (NGO, Ireland).
CWD. Children with Disabilities. (See also PWD).
CWS. Church World Service. (NGO, United States).
(Not to be confused with Christian World Service,
a New Zealand NGO which does not operate in
Laos).
CY. Calendar year. (Compare with AY, FY, SY).
D
D&D. Decentralization and de-concentration. (Also
D and D).
D. Diploma. (Compare with C, HD).
D.TVE. Diploma in TVE.
DA. Designated Account. (WB). (See also OA).
DAA. Dhamma Aid Asia. Buddhist INGO.
DAAD. German: Deutscher Akademischer Austausch
Dienst. [German Academic Exchange Service].
DAC. Development Assistance Committee. (OECD;
comprises 22 donor countries and the European
Commission).
DACUM. Developing a Curriculum. (Methodo-
logical approach to development of TVET
curricula).
DAPE. Department of Arts and Physical Education.
(MOES, See Annex Figure 7).
Note: The mandate of DAPE covers schools
specifically; compare with DCS.
DBEL. Delivering Better Education in Laos (2007-
2013). (AusAID).
DBEP. District Basic Education Plan.
DC. 1. Dubai Cares. (Philanthropic organization,
Dubai, United Arab Republic). 2. Direct
Contracting.
DCE. District Construction Engineer. (EQIP II).
DCS. 1. Department of Community Sports. (MOES.
See Annex Figure 7). (Note: The mandate of DCS
covers community sports nationwide; compare
with DAPE). 2. Development Cooperation
Strategy.
DCT. Dual cooperative training. Compare with
SBT.
DCU. Drug Control Unit. (MOES).
DCYDA. Dongsavath Children And Youth
Development Association. (Lao NPA, definition
2).
DCYDC. Dongsavat Children and Youth
Development Center. (See DCYDA).
DD. Dong Dok. (Reference to the main campus of
NUOL).
DDA. 1. Demand Driven Approach. (Project with
external financing by Sida). 2. Demand-driven
approach. (Generic concept. Compare with
HRBA, RBA).
DDAII. Phase II of DDA.
DDG. Deputy DG.
DE. 1. Distance education. (See also CBE).
2. District Engineer.
DEAM. Department of Education Administration
and Management. (NUOL/FOE). (Formerly
TEADC; TDC).
DEB. 1. [History]. District Education Bureau.
(Renamed DESB in 2010). 2. District Education
Board.
DEB/PA. District Education Bureau / Pedagogical
Advisor.
DEB-C. District Education Bureau - Culture.
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12
DEB-E. District Education Bureau - Education.
Decentralization [of the Education Sector]. Based
on MOE Decree No. 1500/DOP.02, March 3,
2002. Decree on Implementing the Decentraliza-
tion in the Education Sector:
Relating to the build-up (see also Three Builds)
of:
o Province as a Strategic Unit;
o District as a Planning Unit; and
o Village as an Implementation Unit.
Assigning responsibilities for each level:
o DEB is responsible for pre-school and
primary;
o PES is responsible for lower secondary and
upper secondary; and
o MOE is responsible for NUOL, colleges,
technical and vocational schools, and ethnic
boarding schools.
DED. German: Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst
[German Development Service].
DEDC. District Education Development Committee.
(Compare with EDC, VDC, VEDC definition 2,
WEDC).
DEI. Department of Education Inspection. (See
DOI).
DEM. Decentralized education management.
DEO. [History]. District Education Officer.
DEP. [History]. French: Diplôme de l’Enseignement
Professionnel.
Deputy Minister. Vice Minister. (Compare with
Assistant Minister).
DER. Department of External Relations. (MOES,
See Annex Figure 7).
DES. Department of Elite Sports. (MOES. See
Annex Figure 7)
DESB. District Education and Sports Bureau.
(Formerly DEB). (See Annex Table 1).
DESD. 1. [UN] Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development. 2. [History]. District Education and
Sports Division. (See DESB).
DESIT. Department of Education Statistics and
Information Technology. (Renamed, see ESITC).
DEVAW. Declaration on the Elimination of the
Violence against Women.
DFA. Development Financing Agreement. (WB).
DFAT. [Australian] Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, into which AusAID was integrated
November 1, 2013. (See Australian Aid).
DFG. German: Deutsche Finanzierungsgesellschaft
für Beteiligungen in Entwicklungsländern, GmbH
[German Finance Company for Investments in
Developing Countries]. (See also GIZ).
DG. Director General.
DGE. [Formerly]. Department of General Educa-
tion. (MOES). (Divided into two departments in
2008; see DPE and DSE).
DGEI. Department of General Education Inspection.
Replaced by DEI in 2008.
DGIS. Dutch: Directoraat-Generaal Internationale
Samenwerking [Directorate-General for Inter-
national Cooperation]. (Netherlands).
DGP. Department of General Planning. (In CPI).
Dhamma. Lao: Doctrine, teachings of the Buddha.
DHE. Department of Higher Education. (MOES, see
Annex Figure 7. For historical note see DHTVE.)
DHS. Demographic and Health Survey. (See also
MICS, LSIS).
DHTVE. [Formerly]. Department of Higher,
Technical, and Vocational Education. (Also
HTVED).
Historical Note: Re-organized in 2008 into
separate departments, DHE and DTVE.
DIC. 1. Deseret International Charities. (NGO,
USA, Associated with the Mormon Church;
specializing in teaching of English). 2. Depart-
ment of International Cooperation (MOPI).
3. Drop-in Center.
DIH. Department of Industry and Handicraft. (In
MOIC, definition 1).
Diplôme de l’Enseignement Professionnel.
[History]. French: Diploma of Vocational
Education.
Historical Note: Under the Education Reform of
1962, a preparatory two-year cycle of technical
and professional preparation in Matanyom 1 and
Matanyom 2. (Compare with CAP, definition 2).
Director General. Senior official serving directly
under a Vice Minister or Assistant Minister and
responsible for a Department or unit of equivalent
status.
DIT. 1. District Implementation Team. (Compare
with NIT, PIT definition 1). 2. District Inclusive
Education Trainer. (Compare with PIT, definition
2).
DLAE. [History]. Department of Literacy and Adult
Education.
DLHRD. Division of Legislation and Human
Resource Development. (In DOP).
DLLM. Digital Library of Lao Manuscripts.
DMC. Developing Member Country. (WB, ADB).
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DMF. Design and Monitoring Framework.
DNE. Department of Non-Formal Education. (Also
DNFE and NFED). (See Annex Figure 7).
DNFE. Department of Non-Formal Education.
(Also DNE and NFED). (See Annex Figure 7).
DNPD. Deputy National Project Director.
DOACS. Department of Administration and Civil
Service. (PMO).
DOEI. Department of Education Inspection. (See
DOI).
DOF. Department of Finance. (MOES. See Annex
Figure 7).
DOI. 1. Department of Inspection. (See Annex
Figure 7). (See also DEI. 2. Digital Opportunity
Index).
Dong Dok. Main campus of NUOL, approximately
10 km north of Vientiane.
DOP. Department of Personnel and Organization
(MOES. See Annex Figure 7).
DOPC. See DPC.
DOR. Dropout Rate. See DR.
DOS. [Formerly]. [National] Department of
Statistics. (Previously NSC, definition 2). (Under
the MPI). (Now see LSB).
DP. 1. Development Partner. (See also IDP).
2. Direct purchase. (Compare with ICB, IS, LCB).
3. Department of Planning. (MOES). (Formerly
DPC; DPF).
DPACS. [Formerly]. Department of Public Admin-
istration and Civil Service. (PMO). (See
PACSA).
DPAE. Department of Physical and Arts Education.
(See DAPE).
DPB. [History]. Domestic Public Bidding.
DPC. [Formerly]. Department of Planning and
[International] Cooperation. Also DPIC. (MOES;
replaced PSU. Now renamed DP, definition 3).
(See Annex Figure 7).
DPE. 1. Department of Primary and Pre-school
Education. (See DPPE) 2. [Formerly]. Depart-
ment of Physical Education. (See DAPE).
3. [Formerly]. Department of Private Education
(See PEACO).
DPEA. Department of Physical Education and Art.
(See DAPE).
DPEM. [History]. Department of Private Education
Management. (Also DPrE. Now see PEACO).
DPF. [Formerly]. Department of Planning and
Finance. (Separated over several reorganizations
into DP definition 3, and DOF).
DPhAE. Department of Physical and Art Education.
(See DAPE)
DPhE. Department of Physical Education. (See
DAPE)
DPIC. [Formerly]. Department of Planning and
International Cooperation. (MOE). (See DPC).
DPIP. [History]. Department of Public Investment
Program.
DPIU. District Project Implementation Unit.
DPL. Development Policy Letter. (ADB, see also
PL).
DPM. Deputy Prime Minister.
DPPE. Department of Primary and Pre-school
Education. (MOES, established 2008). (See
Annex Figure 7).
DPrE. [Formerly]. Department of Private Education
(MOE). (See also DPrE; DPEM; DPE). See
PEACO.
DPRK. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
(North Korea. Compare with ROK).
DPrv.E. See DPrE.
DPS. Department of Public Services. [In PMO
which sets quotas each year for the number of new
permanent recruitments and government funded
contracts]. (See PACSA; Quota teacher).
DQAF. Data Quality Assessment Framework [for
the EMIS].
DR. Dropout Rate.
DRC. Danish Red Cross.
DRM. Disaster Risk Management.
Dropout. UIS Definition: Student who leaves
school definitively in a given school year.
Dropout Rate. UIS Definition: Proportion of
students from a cohort enrolled in a given grade at
a given school year who are no longer enrolled in
the following school year. (See Dropout).
DRR. Disaster Risk Reduction.
DRS. 1. Data Recording System. 2. Data-base
Reporting System.
DRT. District Resource Team.
DSA. 1. Daily subsistence allowance. 2. Department
of Student Affairs. (MOES, see Annex Figure 7).
(Also DStA).
DSD. Department of Skills Development. (See
DSDE.
DSDE. Department of Skills Development and
Employment. (MOLSW).
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14
DSE. Department of Secondary Education. (MOES,
see Annex Figure 7).
DSED. See DSDE.
DSpA. Department of Sports for All. (MOES, see
Annex Figure 7)
DStA. Department of Student Affairs. (MOES, see
Annex Figure 7)
DTE. Department of Teacher Education. (MOES,
See Annex Figure 7). (Formerly DTT).
DTL. Deputy Team Leader.
DTP. Desktop publishing.
DTT. [History]. Department of Teacher Training.
(Renamed DTE. See Annex Figure 7).
DTVE. Department of Technical and Vocational
Education. (MOES, see Annex Figure 7).
DTVET. See DTVE.
Dual cooperative training. (TVET). Training in
cooperation with enterprises with the emphasis on
practical part of training, with the theoretical part
of the training taking place at TVET institutions
and practical training in the enterprise, based on
regulations, condition, and contract between the
parties (institution and enterprise or institution,
enterprise, and apprentice). (Compare with
School-based training).
DUCDA. District Unit for Construction and
Development Assistance. (See also PUCDA).
DVT. Dual vocational training.
DVTE. See DTVE.
DVTHE. [History]. Department of Vocational,
Technical, and Higher Education. (Separated into
two departments in 2008, DHE and DTVE.
MOES. See Annex Figure 7).
DVV [International]. German: [Institut für Inter-
nationale Zusammenarbeit des] Deutschen Volks-
hochschul-Verbandes [Institute for International
Cooperation of the German Adult Education
Association]. Sometimes referred to as the
German Folk High School Association, which
corresponds closely to a direct translation and the
German folk high school tradition.
DWHH. German: Deutsche Welthungerhilfe
[German Agro Action, see GAA]. (NGO,
Germany).
E
€. See EUR.
EA&P. East Asia and the Pacific.
EA. Executing Agency.
EAB. Education[al] Advisory Board. Note: There
are EABs at central, provincial, district, and
institutional levels.
EADI. Education Administration Development
Institute. (See IEMD).
EAM p[P]. Education Administration and Manage-
ment [Program]. (At FOE/NUOL).
EAP. English for Academic Purposes.
EAPRO. East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office
(UNICEF, Bangkok).
EBS. Ethnic Boarding School.
EC. 1. European Commission. 2. [Formerly]
European Community. (See EU, Historical Note).
3. External Communication.
ECCD. Early Childhood Care and Development. In
Laos, refers to pre-school services for children
aged 3 - 5 years, sometimes from 3 months,
including both Crèche and Kindergarten (See also
ECCE; ECED; IECD; Pre-school).
ECCE. Early Childhood Care and Education.
Note: In Laos the term used in reference to EFA is
ECCD.
ECD. 1. Early Childhood Development. (See also
ECCD; ECCE; ECED; IECD; Pre-school). 2. See
ECDM. 3. EC Delegation.
ECDF. Education Capacity Development Frame-
work. See also CDF Note, ESCDF.
ECDL. EC Delegation Laos.
ECDM. Education Construction and Design Man-
agement Division. (MOES, previously ECS and
ECD).
ECE. Early Childhood Education. (See also ECCD;
ECCE; ECED; IECD; Pre-school).
ECED. Early Childhood Education and Develop-
ment. (See also ECCD, ECCE, ECE, IECD,
Kindergarten, Pre-school).
ECEP. Early Childhood Education Project (2014-
2019). (External financing by WB).
ECERS. Early Childhood Environment Rating
Scale. (Unicef).
ECF. Expanded Catalytic Fund. (See CF).
École cantonale. [History]. French: Primary school
in a town. (Compare with École d’arrondisse-
ment).
École d’arrondissement. [History]. French: Primary
school in a rural district. (Compare with École
cantonale).
École élémentaire. [History]. French: Elementary
school, Primary school. (Note that current use of
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15
this term in names of public institutions can still be
found in some parts of Laos).
École maternelle. [History]. French: Kindergarten,
pre-school. (Note that current use of this term in
names of public institutions can still be found in
some areas).
École Normale d’Instituteurs. [History]. French:
Teacher Training School [for primary school
teachers].
École normale de bonzes. [History]. French:
Teacher training school for monks.
Historical Note: Established 1909 in Vientiane;
later in Luang Prabang.
École Normale Supérieure. [History]. French:
Teacher Training College [for lower secondary
school teachers]. Established 1959.
École primaire. [History]. French: Primary school.
(Note that this term is in current usage in names of
institutions in some areas).
École Royale de Médecine [du Laos]. [History].
French: Royal School of Medicine.
École secondaire, le deuxième cycle. [History].
French: Upper secondary school. (Also École
secondaire, 2ème cycle). (Note that this term is
still in current usage in names of institutions in
some areas).
École secondaire, le premier cycle. [History].
French: Lower secondary school. (Also École
secondaire, 1er cycle). (Note that this term is in
current usage in names of institutions in some parts
of Laos).
École secondaire. [History]. French: Secondary
school. (Note that this term is in current usage in
names of institutions in some parts of Laos).
École Supérieure de Pédagogie. [History]. French:
Teacher Training College [for upper secondary
school teachers]. College of Education. Located
at Dong Dok.
ECOP. Environmental Code of Practice. (For
construction of school buildings).
ECOSOC. [United Nations] Economic and social
Council.
ECS. See ECDM.
ECU. 1. Education Coordination Unit. 2. ESDF
Coordination Unit. 3. ESDP Coordination Unit.
ED. 1. Education Disadvantage. 2. Educationally
disadvantaged. 3. Executive Director.
EDC. Education Development Committee. (See also
VDC; VEDC definition 2, and WEDC).
EDEMV. Education Development for Ethnic
Minority Villages.
EDF. Education for Development Fund. (Formerly
Minsai). (NGO, Japan).
EDG. Education Development Grant.
EDGP. Education Development Grant Program.
(Under BESDP). (See also SAGP).
EDI. EFA Development Index. (UNESCO).
EDP. 1. Education Development Project (external
financing by the World Bank), later referred to as
EDP I. 2. [History]. Education Development
Project financed by USAID.
EDP I. Education Development Project. (Originally
referred to as EDP). (External financing by WB).
EDP II, EDP2, EDP2. Second Education Develop-
ment Project. (Sometimes referred to as SEDP).
(External financing by WB).
EDUCAMP 2014. A “BarCamp” on educational
innovations. (NUOL, March 2014).
Éducateur de bas. [History]. See Basic Education
Teacher.
Education Law. Note: The current education law is
also referred to as the “Revised Education Law”,
the Education Law of 2007 (as it was adopted by
the National Assembly 3 July 2007), or the
Education Law of 2008 (as it was published by
MOE in March 2008). (Note that the Education
Law is scheduled for revision in 2015).
Historical Note: The term “education law”
sometimes also refers to:
The Education Law of 2000, Approved by the
National Assembly April 8, 2000;
The Compulsory Education Decree of the Prime
Minister, August 15, 1996; or
The Education Reform of 1962. (Note: Often
referred to in later years as the “The Education
Reform Act”, it was not an act of parliament but
rather a Royal Decree.)
EDV. Education Department of Vientiane [Capital
City].
EDWG. Education [and Gender] Donors Working
Group. (Replaced by EGSWG. See ESWG and
IEDWG).
EE. Environmental Education.
EEA. Environmental Education and Awareness.
EECS. Environmental Education and
Communication Strategy.
EEF. European Education Fund. (NGO).
EEFA. Equal Education For All. (Lao NPA,
definition 2).
EEG. Education Evaluation Group. (Activity in
ASLO component of EDP II).
EEME. Empowerment of Ethnic Minorities through
Education.
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16
EEPA. Employability and Entrepreneurship
Potential Assessment.
EFA. Education for All. (See Jomtien, UBE; UPC;
UPE, EFA-NPA).
EFA-FTI. [Formerly]. EFA Fast Track Initiative.
(Launched 2002; renamed GPE September 2011.
See also FTI).
EFAMOD. EFA Model, an education sector
strategic development spreadsheet model to
support EFA. (UNESCO).
EFA-NPA. Education for All National Plan of
Action 2003-2015 (MOE, March 2005). (See
EFA). (Sometimes incorrectly referred to as the
EFA National Action Plan or the National EFA
Action Plan).
Note: The publication date of the Education for All
National Plan of Action 2003-2015 is cited in the
literature variously as 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Although the period covered is from 2003-2015, it
was approved by the Government Cabinet
December 30, 2004, and published 2005 “for the
Ministry of Education by the UNESCO Asia and
Pacific Regional Bureau for Education”. (See
Annex Table 4).
EFEO [Vientiane]. French: École Française
d’Extrême-Orient French School of East Asian
Studies, [Vientiane branch].
Effective Transition Rate. (ETranR). UIS
Definition: The number of new entrants into the
1st grade of a higher level of education in Year
Y+1, expressed as a percentage of the number of
students enrolled in the final grade of the lower
level of education in Year Y who did not repeat
that grade in Year Y+1. (Compare with Transition
Rate. Compare also with PR, SR definition 1).
Note: Compared with the Transition Rate, this
indicator better reflects the real transition rate,
regardless of repetition, where students repeat the
last grade of the lower level but eventually make
the transition to the higher level.
EFIS. Education Finance Information System. (See
also FMIS. Compare with EMIS).
EFL. English as a Foreign Language. (See also
ESL; TOEFL).
EfS. Education for Sustainability.
EGDP. 1. Ethnic Group Development Plan. (See
also EGP). 2. Ethnic Group Development Project.
EGMA. Early Grade Mathematics Assessment.
(Compare with EGRA).
EGP. Ethnic Group Plan. (See also EGDP).
EGPF. Ethnic Group Policy Framework. (PRF).
EGRA. Early Grade Reading Assessment.
(Compare with EGMA).
EGSWG. Education and Gender Sector Working
Group. (MOES) (Usually referred to as ESWG).
EGWG. Education and Gender Working Group
(MOES). (Replaced by EGSWG).
EIA. Environmental Impact Assessment.
EIC. [Formerly]. Education Inspection Committee.
(MOES). (See DOI).
Eight Priorities. Core components of the 4th NSEDP
(4th Five Year Plan, 1996-2000):
Food production;
Goods production;
Discontinuation of slash and burn cultivation;
Rural development;
Infrastructure development;
Development of relationships and cooperation
with foreign partners;
Development of human resources;
Development of services.
EIRR. Economic Internal Rate of Return.
EL. Education Law.
ELDS. Early Learning and Development Standards.
(UNICEF).
Elementary school. [History]. Primary school.
Under the RLG, primary schooling comprised two
cycles. The 1st cycle, “lower elementary” covered
Grades 1-3. The 2nd cycle, “upper elementary”
covered Grades 4-6. In some texts the term
“primary” is used to refer to the 1st cycle, and
“elementary” is used to refer to the 2nd cycle. In
some texts the term refers to Grades 1-6. (See
3+3; Lower Primary; Upper Primary).
Élève. [History]. French: Student.
ELIc[C]. English Language Institute [in China].
Active in Laos since 1996.
ELO. Expanded Learning Opportunities.
ELP. English Language Proficiency.
ELPS. Early Learning in Primary School. (Sup-
ported by SC-UK and SCN).
ELRC. English Language Resource Center. (Under
DTE).
EMBS. Ethnic Minority Boarding School.
EMDP. Ethnic Minority Development Plan. (See
EGDP).
EMIS. Educational Management Information
System. (Compare with CMIS, FMIS, GIS, TMIS,
TEMIS, PMIS).
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17
E-MTEF. Education sector MTEF. (See also
ESMTEF; MTEF).
Endline Assessment. Assessment at the completion
of an intervention. (Compare with Baseline
Assessment, Midline Assessment).
ENI. [History]. French: École Normale d’Institut-
eurs. Teacher Training School for primary school
teachers.
ENQA. European Association for Quality Assurance
in Higher Education.
Historical Note: Originally European Network for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Renamed
to European Association for Quality Assurance in
Higher Education, but the acronym was retained.
ENS. [History]. French: École Normale Supérieure.
Teacher Training College for secondary school
teachers. (See also ESP, definition 3).
ENV. [History]. French: École Normale de
Vientiane. Teacher Training School in Vientiane.
EOJ. Embassy of Japan.
EP. Equivalency Program.
EPDF. Education Program Development Fund.
(WB, FTI).
EPDFSC. Education Program Development Fund
Strategy Committee. (WB, FTI).
EPE. Education Publishing Enterprise. Also known
as Education Printing Enterprise.
EPR. Education Policy and Reform [Unit].
(UNESCO Bangkok).
EQA. External Quality Assurance. (For external
comparison, e.g, accreditation). (Compare with
IQA).
EQAC. [Formerly]. Education Quality Assurance
Center. (MOES. See ESQAC).
EQASP. Education Quality Assurance Strategic Plan
[for 2011 to 2020].
EQF. European Qualifications Framework.
EQIP. Education Quality Improvement Project.
(ADB, 1992-1998, also referred to as EQIP I).
EQIP II. Second Education Quality Improvement
Project. (External financing by ADB and Sida; see
also TTEST).
EQR. External Quality Review.
EQS. Education Quality Standards.
ER. Enrollment Rate. See NER, GER.
ERIKS. Swedish: Erikshjälpen. [Literally “Erik’s
help”]. ERIKS Development Partner.
ERI-Net. Education Research Institutes Network.
(UNESCO Bangkok).
ERM. [History]. French: École Royale de Médecine
du Laos. Lao Royal School of Medicine.
ERR. Economic rate of return. (Compare with FRR,
IRR).
ESAP. Education Sector Annual Plan.
ESAPB. Education Sector Annual Program Budget.
ESCAP. Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific. (UN).
ESCDF. Education Sector Capacity Development
Framework. See also CDF Note, ECDF.
ESD. Education for Sustainable Development.
ESDF. Education Sector Development Framework.
(2009-2015).
Note: There are four quite different documents
commonly cited in the literature as “ESDF”, three
of which are consultant reports. The official MOE
version is dated April 2009. The final consultant
report is dated September 2009.
ESDF PP. ESDF Preparation [for Implementation]
Plan.
ESDP. 1. Education Sector Development Program.
(See SDP). 2. Education Sector Development Plan
(2011-2015). (Pub. MOES, September 2011).
Note: Includes 7th 5-year Education Development
Plan (2011-2015).
ESDP 2 2. Education Sector Development Plan (2016-
2020). (Currently under development).
ESF. French: Écoles Sans Frontières. Schools
without Borders. (NGO, France).
ESFG. Education Sector Focal Group. (See ESWG
Focal Group; Focal Group).
ESIC. [Formerly]. Education and Sport Information
Center. (Now see ESIMC).
ESIMC. Education and Sport Information and Media
Center. (MOES, see Annex Figure 7).
ESITc[C]. [Formerly]. Educational Statistics and
Information Technology [Center]. (MOES / DP.
See Annex Figure 7).
ESL. English as a Second Language. (See also
EFL).
ESM. Education Sector MTEF. (See also
ESMTEF).
ESMF. Environment and Social Management
Framework.
ESMP. Environmental and Social Management Plan.
(WB).
ESMTEF. Education Sector Medium Term
Expenditure Framework. (See also E-MTEF,
MTEF).
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
18
ESP. 1. Education Sector Plan. 2. English for
Specific Purposes. (E.g., specifically for ASEAN;
see LEAP). 3. [History]. French: École
Supérieure de Pédagogie. Teacher Training
College for Secondary School Teachers. (See also
ESN).
ESQAC. Education Standards and Quality Assur-
ance Center. (MOES, see Annex Figure 7). (See
also CEQA; EQAC).
Note: The three abbreviations, CEQA, EQAC, and
ESQAC, all refer to the same organizational unit.
The abbreviation ESQAC is well-established and
is by far the most widely used. It accurately
represents the activities of the unit. The formal
Lao name, however, does not contain the word for
“standards”, so CEQA and EQAC are more
accurate direct translations.
ESRC. Education and Sports Research Center.
(MOES / DP. See Annex Figure 7).
ESW. Economic Sector Work (ADB).
ESWG. Education Sector Working Group. (Joint
GOL-development partners). (See also IEDWG).
Étage 1. [History]. French: 1st stage of École
primaire, Grades 1-3.
Étage 2. [History]. French: 2nd stage of École
primaire, Grades 4-6.
ETC. Education Technology Center. (Within RIES).
ETF. European Training Foundation.
Ethnicity. Forty-nine ethno-linguistic groups are
listed in the 2005 census report (47 listed in the
1995 census report). These groups are classified
into four ethno-linguistic families and subfamilies
(linguists list some 150 or more branches):
Tai-Kadai (sub-family Lao-Phutai);
Austro-Asiatic (sub-family Mon Khmer);
Hmong Iu-Mien (sub-family Hmong Iu-Mien);
and
Sino-Tibetan (subfamily Tibeto-Burman).
(See Annex Table 3 and Historical Note).
ETranR. Effective Transition Rate.
ETS. Educational Testing Service. (Non-profit
testing organization, USA. See also TOEFL;
TOEIC. Compare with IELTS).
EU. 1. European Union. 2. See EUR.
Historical Note: The European Economic Com-
munity (EEC) was established in 1957, was
officially renamed the European Community (EC)
in 1993, and was replaced by the European Union
(EU) in 2009.
EUR. Euro.
EVI. Economic Vulnerability Index. (One of three
indices on which a country’s LDC status is
determined; see also GNI per Capita, HAI).
EWEC. East-West Economic Corridor.
EWG. Education Working Group.
F
FA / EFA. Framework for Action on Education for
All (EFA). (See also EFA NAP).
Fa Ngum High School. [History]. Under the RLG,
a seven-year comprehensive high school (4+3)
financed by USAID and modeled after the
American comprehensive high school.
Falang. Also Farang. Lao: [Non-Asian] Foreigner.
FAM. Finance and Administration Manual. (WB).
FAR. Faculty of Architecture. (NUOL). Also
FOAR.
FC. Field Coordinator.
FCD. [History]. Foreign Currency Department.
FD. See DOF.
FDI. Foreign direct investment.
FEA. Faculty of Engineering and Architecture.
(NUOL).
FEB. Faculty of Economics and Business
[Administration]. (NUOL). Also FEBM, FEM.
FEBM. Faculty of Economics and Business
Administration. (NUOL). Also FEB, FEM.
FELM. Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission.
FEM. Faculty of Economics and [Business]
Management. (NUOL. Also FEB, FEBM).
FEN. Faculty of Engineering. (NUOL).
FES. Faculty of Environmental Sciences. (NUOL).
FEU. Far Eastern University. (Manila).
FG. 1. [ESWG] Focal Group. (See Focal Group).
2. Focus Group.
FGD. 1. Focal Group Discussion. 2. Focus Group
Discussion.
FI. Friends-International. (INGO).
FIDA. Finnish Development Cooperation Organiza-
tion. (NGO, Finland; not to be confused with
FINNIDA).
FIMC. Foreign Investment Management Committee.
FINNIDA. [Finnish] Ministry of Foreign Affairs –
Development Cooperation. (Not to be confused
with FIDA).
Five Domains of Education. (Lao: 5 Lakmoun).
The Five Domains of Education presented in
“Principles and General Education Development
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19
Plan in the Lao PDR”, published by MOES in
1991 and still currently referenced:
Moral education;
Intellectual education;
Aesthetic education;
Physical education; and
Labor education.
Note: 1. Sometimes translated as the “Five
Aspects”, “Five Dimensions”, “Five Pillars”, or
“Five Principles”. The term “Five Principles” is
widely used but is inappropriate because a
principle is a statement of a rule or law and
requires a subject and predicate. The term
“Domains” might be preferred because of the
parallel with Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Note 2: Not to be confused with the Three Pillars
of Education Sector Development, the Four Pillars
of Education, or the Six Principles of Education.
Note 3: Often cited in connection with the Three
Characteristics of Education.
Note 4: The concept “labor education” today is
usually interpreted broadly as education about the
world of work, the labor market, skill develop-
ment, production, and entrepreneurship.
Five Pointed Star. Teaching method introduced in
1994 under EQIP I by TDC, targeting primary and
lower secondary education. (Also 5-Pointed Star).
The five points of the star are still currently
referenced:
Activity-based learning;
Questions for clarification;
Educational media;
Group work; and
Application to daily life.
Five Priority Programs. Priority programs for
national development by 2000 adopted by the 4th
Party Congress in 1986:
Food;
Environment;
Production for export;
Transport and communication; and
Education reforms.
Five-Year Plan. Key political level economic and
social plan document, covering 5-year periods.
Formally NSEDP.
FLA. Faculty of Law and [Public] Administration.
(NUOL).
FLP. Faculty of Law and Political Science.
(NUOL).
FLS. 1. Flexible Learning Strategies. 2. Faculty of
Library Science (NUOL).
FMA. Financial Management Assessment. (WB).
FMAC. Financial Management Adjustment Credit.
(WB).
FMCBC. Financial Management Capacity Building
Credit. (WB).
FMCBP. Financial Management Capacity Building
Project. (WB).
FMIS. Financial Management Information System.
(Compare with CMIS, EFIS, EMIS, GIS, PMIS).
FMR. Financial Monitoring Report. (WB).
FMS. [Formerly]. Faculty of Medical Sciences
(NUOL).
FNS. Faculty of Natural Sciences. (NUOL).
(Compare with FSS).
FOA. Faculty of Agriculture (NUOL). Also FOAG.
FOAG. Faculty of Agriculture (NUOL). Also FOA.
FOAR. Faculty of Architecture (NUOL). Also FAR.
Focal Group. ESWG Focal Group. (Also Thematic
Focal Group, Sub-SWG).
Note: These Focal Groups change from time to
time. FGs as of January 2014:
FG1: Basic Education;
FG2: Post-basic Education;
FG3: Education Management, Administration
and Performance Assessment; and
FG4: Education Research and Analysis.
FOE. 1. Faculty of Education. (NUOL) 2. Faculty
of Engineering. (NUOL, but see also FEN).
FOF. Faculty of Forestry (NUOL).
FOL. Faculty of Letters (NUOL).
FOS. Faculty of [Natural] Science (NUOL). (Also
FNS).
Foundation [Course; Program; Year]. [History].
Instruction intended to make up for formal or
informal deficiencies in requirements for an educa-
tion or training course or program, such as a pro-
gram intended for primary school graduates to
enter a teacher training program intended for lower
secondary school graduates.
Four Breakthroughs. Lao: Boukthalu. For educa-
tion, a goal expressed by the 8th Party Congress:
Create breakthrough changes in education and
training in terms of quality and quantity. More
broadly, slogan embodying goals introduced at the
9th Party Congress and presented in the 7th NSEDP.
(See also Three Builds).
Breakthrough in thinking, to release and renew
the unchanged, conservative mind, old stereo-
types, recklessness, unfairness, dogmatism, and
complacency;
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20
Breakthrough in human resource development
in all areas, especially in development and
building capacity of civil servants in various
areas, according to the real situation;
Breakthrough in solving challenges in the
governance and management systems that are
hindering commercial production and service
delivery; and
Breakthrough in poverty eradication by seeking
the source of funds and special promotion
policy, and creating social and economic
infrastructure by setting priority on holistic
development.
Note: These are also referred to as “the Four
Dynamic Objectives”. In this connection
“Boukthalu” has sometimes been translated simply
as “dynamic”, as in “The Four Dynamics”.
Although not an accurate translation of the word
“boukthalu”, it does express the spirit of the 9th
Party Congress and the 7th NSEDP: The plan is
intended to be flexible and dynamic, based on the
actual situation at the time, to ensure achievement
of the planned objectives.
Four Pillars of Education. (In reference to the
“Delors Report”, Learning: The Treasure Within,
to UNESCO of the International Commission on
Education for the 21st Century, published in 1996):
Learning to know;
Learning to do;
Learning to live together; and
Learning to be.
Note: Not to be confused with the Three Pillars of
Education Sector Development in Laos.
Four Pillars of Poverty Eradication Strategy. Also
Four Sectors of Poverty Eradication Strategy.
Agriculture and forestry;
Education;
Health; and
Infrastructure, especially rural roads.
(See NGPES).
FPIC. Free Prior Informed Consultation.
Francophonie. [Formally]. French: Organisation
internationale de la Francophonie. International
Organization of the French-speaking World. (See
OIF).
French Colonial Period. Historical Note:
1893 Luang Prabang becomes French Protector-
ate; Vientiane and Champasak become
French colonies.
1895 (June) Sino-French treaty is signed, ceding
provinces Phongsaly and Muang Sing to the
French protectorate of Laos.
1899 Vientiane and Champasak are ruled from
Luang Prabang as part of the French
Protectorate.
1945 (April) King Sisavangvong, under pressure
from the Japanese coup de force, reluctantly
declares the French Protectorate null and
void.
1945 (September) Following the Japanese sur-
render, Vice-Regent and Prime Minister
Prince Phetsarath re-affirms Lao inde-
pendence from France (for which he is
dismissed by the King).
1949 (July) Laos becomes an Associated State
within the French Union, although with
limited autonomy.
1953 (October) Franco-Lao Treaty of Amity &
Association transfers French powers (except
military) to RLG; Laos remains in the
French Union.
1954 (July) Final Declaration of the Geneva
Conference acknowledges full independence
and sovereignty of the Royal Kingdom of
Laos. French Military Mission remains in
place until December 1975 to train the Royal
Lao Army.
1957 (August) Revised Constitution omits
reference to the French Union.
FRESH. Focusing Resources on Effective School
Health. (Initiative by UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF,
WFP, WB, and others as part of the EFA Dakar
agenda in 2000).
FRM. Feedback and Resolution Mechanism.
FRR. Financial rate of return. (Compare with ERR,
IRR).
FRS. Financial Reporting System.
FS. Functional Skills.
FSS. Faculty of Social Sciences. (NUOL).
(Compare with FNS).
FT. Fixed Tranche. (EC budget support). (Compare
with VT).
FTA. Free trade area.
FTI[-CF]. [Formerly] Fast Track Initiative [-
Catalytic Fund]. (Launched 2002; sponsored by
WB); renamed GPE in September 2011).
FTP. Full Technical Proposal.
FY. Fiscal Year (in Laos beginning October 1 and
ending September 30). (Compare with AY, CY,
SY).
FYP. Five Year Plan. (Formally National Socio-
Economic Development Plan, NSEDP).
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21
G
G&M. Governance and Management.
G1-G5. Grade [in primary school]. (Also P1-P5).
(Compare with M1-M4, M5-M7).
GAA. German Agro Action. (See DWHH).
GAD. Gender and Development.
GAP. Gender Action Plan.
GAPE. Global Association for People and the
Environment. (NGO).
GAR. Gross Admission Rate. Note: UIS does not
define this term. When this term is written, Gross
Intake Ratio (GIR) is probably meant.
GATS. General Agreement on Trade in Services.
GBS. General Budget Support. (Compare with SBS;
see also PRSO).
GBV. Gender Based Violence.
GCAC. Give Children a Choice. (NGO, USA).
GCDES. Government’s Capacity Development in
the Education Sector. (External financing by EC).
GCE. 1. Global Citizenship Education. 2. Global
Campaign for Education [beyond 2015].
(UNESCO initiative).
GCT. 1. Graduate Certificate of Teaching.
2. Guidelines for Certification of Teachers.
GDA. Gender and Development Association. (Lao
NPA, definition 2). (Formerly GDG; WID).
GDG. Gender and Development Group [of like-
minded NGOs]. (Formerly WID; re-constituted as
GDA; Lao NPA, definition 2).
GDP p. c. Gross Domestic Product per capita.
[GDP/Population]
GDP. Gross Domestic Product.
GDP/c. Gross Domestic Product per capita
[GDP/Population].
GE. General Education. (Compare with TVET).
GEEU. [Formerly]. Gender and Ethnic Education
Unit. (See IEC).
GEFI. [UN Secretary-General’s] Global Education
First Initiative.
GEGAP. Gender and Ethnic Groups Action Plan.
GEGDP. Gender and Ethnic Groups Development
Plan.
GEIC. General Education Inspection Committee
(MOES). Also GICE, IC.
GEM. Global EFA Meeting.
GEMEU. [Formerly]. Gender and Ethnic Minority
Unit (MOES). (See IEC).
GEMU. [Formerly]. Gender and Ethnic Minority
Education Unit (MOES). (See IEC).
Gender Inequality Index. Index of gender disparity
based on reproductive health, empowerment, and
labor market participation; introduced by UNDP.
(Compare with Gender Parity Index).
Gender Parity Index. (GPI). UIS Definition: Ratio
of female to male values of a given indicator (ratio
of females/males for a given statistic, e.g.
GERfemale/GERmale). (Compare with Gender
Ratio).
Note that the valid range of the GPI is from 0 (in
the complete absence of females) to ∞ (in the
complete absence of males). Gender Parity is
indicated when GPI = 1.0. See also Gender Ratio,
Note 2.
Gender Ratio. (GR). (Also referred to as Sex
Ratio).
Note 1: UIS does not explicitly define this statistic,
although it is widely used in UNESCO documents,
where it refers to the ratio of the absolute number
of females to the absolute number of males for a
given indicator. E.g. the ratio of the number of
females enrolled to the number of males enrolled,
or equivalently, the ratio of the proportion of
enrollees who are female to the proportion of
enrollees who are male, i.e., %Female/%Male, or
f/m.
Note 2: If GR known, the relative proportions f
and m are easily calculated: f=GR/(1+GR), and
m=1/(1+GR).
Note 3: By long tradition, demographers define
GR as the ratio of males/females, whereas
educators generally use the inverse. (Compare
with Gender Parity Index).
Note 4: The valid range of the GR is from 0 (in the
complete absence of females) to ∞ (in the com-
plete absence of males). Gender Parity is
indicated when GR = 1.0.
GENIA. Gender in Education Network in Asia-
Pacific.
GER. Gross Enrollment Ratio. (Compare with
NER).
GFIS. Government Financial Management
Information System.
GFP. Gender Focal Point.
GGPs. Grant-in-Aid Scheme for Grassroots Human
Security projects. (Government of Japan).
GICE. General Inspection Committee for Education.
Also GEIC, IC.
GID. Gender Inclusion and Disability.
GII. Gender Inequality Index. (Compare with GPI).
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GIR. 1. Gross Intake Ratio. (Compare with NIR).
2. Governance and Institutional Reform.
GIS. Geographic Information System. (Compare
with CMIS, EMIS, FMIS, PMIS).
GIZ. German: [Deutsche] Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit [German Agency
for International Cooperation]. (Formerly GTZ).
(See also DFG).
GKS. Global Korea Scholarship.
GMR. Global Monitoring Report.
Note: UNESCO publishes an annual EFA Global
Monitoring Report. The World Bank and the IMF
publish an annual MDG Global Monitoring
Report.
GMS. Greater Mekong Sub-region. (Compare with
Mekong Sub-region).
GMSARN. Greater Mekong Sub-region Academic
and Research Network.
GNI/c. See GNI per Capita.
GNI [per Capita]. Gross National Income [per
person in the population].
GNP. Gross National Product.
GOA. Government of Australia.
GOJ. Government of Japan.
GOL. Government of Lao People’s Democratic
Republic.
GPAR. Governance and Public Administration
Reform.
GPE. Global Partnership for Education. (Formerly
EFA-FTI; see also FTI).
GPI. 1. Gender Parity Index. 2. Good People
International. (NGO, Korea).
GPN. General Procurement Notice. (WB).
GR. Gender Ratio.
Grade 0. (Also Grade Zero, Pre-Primary). Special
Pre-school class attached to a primary school to
prepare 5-year-old children to enter Grade 1,
particularly targeting non-Lao ethnic groups, girls,
and children from the poorest families who have
not attended Kindergarten. (See Annex Figure 1
and Annex Figure 3. Compare with ECCD, Pre-
primary, Pre-school).
GRALE. Global Report on Adult Learning and
Education. (UNESCO).
Greater Mekong Sub-region. Cambodia, China
(Yunnan Province), Laos, Myanmar, Thailand,
Vietnam. (Compare with Mekong Sub-region).
GRID. Gender Resource Information Development
Project. (Supported by UNDP; NORAD; SNV).
Gross Enrollment Ratio. (GER). UIS Definition:
Total enrollment in a specific level of education,
regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the
eligible official school-age population correspond-
ing to the same level of education in a given
school-year. (Compare with Net Enrollment Rate,
Age-Specific Enrollment Rate).
Gross Entry Ratio. UIS Definition: Total number
of new entrants to a given level of education,
regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the
population of theoretical entrance age for that
level. (Compare with Gross Intake Ratio).
Gross Graduation Ratio. UIS Definition: Number
of graduates, regardless of age, in a given level or
program, expressed as a percentage of the
population at the theoretical graduation age for that
level or program.
Gross Intake Ratio (GIR) [in the 1st grade of
primary]. UIS Definition: Total number of new
entrants in the 1st grade of primary education,
regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the
population at the official primary school-entrance
age. (Compare with NIR).
Groupe Scolaire. [History]. French: In some
communities, a network or cluster of typically 3 - 5
incomplete primary schools, which provide mutual
pedagogical support and collectively provide
complete primary schooling. (This historical term
is still in use in some areas). (See Complete
school; Incomplete school; School cluster; School
network; Muad; Lower primary; upper primary).
GTZ. [Formerly]. German: [Deutsche] Gesellschaft
für Technische Zusammenarbeit [German Agency
for Technical Cooperation]. (Renamed GIZ in
2010). (See also DFG).
H
HACT. Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers.
Haeng Xad teacher. Lao. National Teacher.
(Honorific title for teacher selected at national
level). Compare with Paxaxon Teacher.
HAI. Human Assets Index. (One of three indices on
which a country’s LDC status is determined; see
also GNI per Capita, EVI).
HD. Higher Diploma. (Compare with D, HD.TVE,
HDC).
HD.TVE. Higher Diploma in TVE.
HDC. Higher Diploma Continuous. (Compare with
HD).
HDI. 1. Human Development Index (UNDP).
2. Humpty Dumpty Institute. (NGO, USA).
HE. Higher education.
HEC. Higher Education Commission.
HEI. Higher education institution.
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Helvetas [Swiss Intercooperation]. Swiss
Association for International Cooperation.
HEMIS. Higher Education Management Information
System.
HEMP. Higher Education Master Plan.
HEQS. Higher Education Quality Standards.
HES. Higher education subsector.
HI. 1. Handicap International. (INGO). 2. Hearing
impairment.
HIB. Handicap International Belgium. (NGO,
Belgium).
Hid sipsong. Lao: Twelve [monthly] Buddhist
Festivals [of the annual ritual cycle].
HIF. Handicap International France. (NGO,
France).
HIPC. Heavily Indebted Poor Country.
HIPV. [History]. Higher Education Institute of
Pedagogy in Vientiane. (See PUV)
HIV/AIDS. Human immunodeficiency virus
infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
HJA. Lao: Huam Jai Asasamak [Join Hearts
Volunteers]. Lao Volunteer Service.
HLF4. 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.
(Busan, Republic of Korea, 2011).
Honorific Title. (Of teachers). Title officially
awarded on the basis of merit in teaching and
associated with salary supplements:
Lao term English term .
Haeng Xad National Teacher
Paxaxon People’s Teacher
. (Compare with Rank).
Note: These categories are defined in the
Education Law of 2007.
HPAE. High-performing Asian economies.
HPH. Huaphanh Province.
HPI. [History]. Higher Pedagogical Institute. (See
also ESP, definition 3).
HPS. Health Promotion in Primary Schools.
HRBA. Human Rights Based Approach. (Compare
with DDA, RBA).
HRD. Human resource development.
HRDME. Also HRD-ME. Human Resource
Development for a Market Economy. (Lao-
German development cooperation program).
HRDNC. Human Resource Development National
Commission. (Compare with [HRD] NTC,
definition 3).
HRE. Human Rights Education.
HRM. Human resource management.
HTVED. 1. Higher, technical, and vocational
education. 2. [Formerly]. See DVTHE.
Hybrid Courses. Courses based on a combination of
face to face traditional training sequences, and
monitoring of online courses. (Also “blended
learning”, “technology-mediated instruction”,
“web-enhanced instruction”, “mixed-mode
instruction”, and others).
I
I/A. Imprest Account.
IAAPS. International Association for Asia Pacific
Studies.
IAD. Institute for Administration Development.
IAG. Information, Advice, and Guidance. (In-school
career counselling).
IAI. Initiative for ASEAN Integration.
IAPSO. Inter-Agency Procurement Service Office.
(UNDP).
IARS. Imprest Account Reconciliation Statement.
IB. 1. International Baccalaureate. (International
educational foundation; Geneva). 2. [History].
French: Institut Bouddhique. Institute of Buddhist
Studies. (See also Institut Indigène d’Études
Bouddhiques).
IBE. International Bureau of Education. (Geneva).
IBSP. Intergovernmental Programs in Basic
Sciences. (UNESCO).
IC. Inspection Committee (MOES). (See also
GICE).
ICA. [History]. [United States] International
Cooperation Agency. (Predecessor to USAID).
ICAE. International Council for Adult Education.
ICB. International Competitive Bidding. (Compare
with DP, IS, LCB, NCB).
ICCPR. International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.
ICERD. International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
ICESCR. International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights.
ICO. International charitable organization.
ICR. 1. Institute for Cultural Research. (Ministry of
Information, Culture, and Tourism; see also ILR).
2. Implementation Completion Report. (WB,
previously PCR).
ICS. 1. Dutch: Internationaal Christelijk Steunfonds
[International Christian Support Fund] (NGO,
Netherlands). 2. International Child Support
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24
(NGO, Netherlands). 3. Individual Consultant
Selection. (ADB, WB).
ICT. Information and Communication Technology.
ICT4D. ICT for Development.
ICT4E. ICT for Education. (See also ICT4LE).
ICT4IE. ICT for Illiteracy Eradication.
ICT4LE. ICT for Lao Education.
ICTC. 1. International Cooperation and Training
Center (Vientiane). 2. Information Communica-
tion and Technology Center. (MOES, See Annex
Figure 7).
ID. Implementing Department.
IDA. International Development Association. (Con-
cessional financing or “soft-loan” arm of the
World Bank Group).
IDCB. Institutional Development and Capacity
Building.
IDD Iodine Deficiency Disorder.
IDF. 1. Institutional Development Fund (WB).
2. International Development Fund.
IDP. International Development Partner.
IDWG. (See IEDWG).
IE. Inclusive education.
IEA. International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement. (Compare with PISA).
IEAD. Institute for Education Administration
Development. (See IEMD. See Annex Figure 7).
IEAWN. Inclusive Education and Advancement of
Women Network.
IEC. 1. Inclusive Education Center. (MOES /
DPPE. See Annex Figure 7). 2. Information,
Education; Communication.
IECD. Integrated Early Childhood Development
(UNICEF). (See also ECCD; ECCE; ECED; Pre-
school).
IEDWG. Informal Education Donor Working
Group. (Informal group for coordination and
consultation related to ESWG meetings).
IEE. Initial Environmental Examination.
IELTS. International English Language Testing
System. (British. Compare with ETS).
IEMD. Institute for Educational Management
Development. (MOES, see Annex Figure 7).
IENSC. Inclusive Education National Steering
Committee. (MOES).
IFA. Integrated Fiduciary Assessment.
IFB. Invitation for Bids.
IFI. International Financial Institution.
IFEAD. Institute for Educational Administration
Development. Also IEAD. (See IEMD).
IFMT. French: Institut de la Francophonie pour la
Médecine Tropicale. Francophone Institute for
Tropical Medicine. Author trans.
IFR. Interim Financial Report.
IGA. Income generating activity.
IGP. Income generating project.
II. International institution.
IIEP. [UNESCO] International Institute for
Educational Planning. (In Paris).
IITE. [UNESCO] Institute for Information
Technology in Education. (In Moscow).
ILE. International Learning Exchange. (UNICEF;
See WASH, WinS).
iLEAD. Initiative for Livelihoods Education and
Development. (AEA, with external financing by
EU).
ILO. International Labor Organization.
Historical Note: Laos became a member state in
1965, but active participation began in the late
1980s.
ILR. Institute for Linguistic Research. (Ministry of
Information, Culture, and Tourism; formerly a
department within ICR, definition 1).
IM. Instructional materials.
IMC. Information and Media Center. (MOES, See
Annex Figure 7).
IMCI. Integrated Management of Childhood Illness.
IMDU. Instructional Materials Development Unit.
(In TEADC).
IMF. International Monetary Fund.
IMU. Instructional Materials Unit. (MOES/DOF).
Incomplete school. 1. Primary school offering
instruction in fewer than 5 grades, often due to an
insufficient number of teachers to provide
instruction in all five grades. 2. Secondary school
containing only one level, usually referring to
lower secondary level only. (Compare with
Complete school, Multi-grade school, Shifting
classes. See also School cluster, Village school).
(See Annex Figure 2).
Independence Day. See French Colonial Period.
(Sometimes National Day is referred to as
Independence Day).
INGO. Also iNGO. International NGO.
Initiative, the. See FTI.
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25
INNOTECH. SEAMEO Regional Center for
Educational Innovation and Technology.
INP. French: Institut National Polytechnique.
National Polytechnic Institute. (See also NPI).
INQAAHE. International Network for Quality
Assurance Agencies in Higher Education.
INSET. In-service education and training. (See also
PRESET and UPSET).
Institut de Droit et d’Administration. [History].
French: Institute of Law and Administration.
Institut Indigène d’Études Bouddhiques. [History].
French: [Indigenous] Institute of Buddhist Studies.
Historical Note: Established 1944 at Wat Luang
Pakse.
Institute. 1. Specialized post-secondary or tertiary
professional education and training institution.
(E.g., EADI, IEAD, LANITH, NIEQA, NPI,
Polytechnic Institute, VEDI). 2. Specialized
research institution. (E.g. RIES).
Integrated Vocational Education and Training.
(IVET). Training approach which includes: (a)
Formal, non-formal, and informal education and
training; (b) Theoretical and practical teaching and
learning organized at the same institutions accord-
ing to specified conditions; and (c) Transfer of
credits between formal and non-formal programs.
International dollar. Hypothetical unit of currency
that has the same purchasing power that the US
dollar has in the United States at a given point in
time. It is widely used by economists to make
comparisons between countries and over time. It is
based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
INVENT. Integrated Waste Management Modules
for Different Courses of Graduate Studies.
(NUOL cooperation with HochschuleBremen,
Bremen University of AppliedSciences).
Note: Not to be confused with the homophonous (same sound) InWEnt.
InWEnt. German: Internationale Weiterbildung und
Entwicklung gemeinnützige GmbH [Capacity
Building International]. (Germany).
Note: Not to be confused with the homophonous (same sound) INVENT.
IOM. International Organization for Migration.
IP. Inception Phase.
IPB. [History]. International Public Bidding.
IPEC. International Program on the Elimination of
Child Labor. (ILO program; see also TICW).
IPRSP. Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.
(WB. See also PRSP; NPEP; NGPES).
IPSA. Initial Poverty and Social Analysis (ADB).
IQA. Internal Quality Assurance. (For improvement
of internal mechanisms for quality assurance).
(Compare with EQA).
IRD. International Relief and Development. (INGO,
USA).
IRDA. [History]. French: Institut Royale de Droit et
d’Administration. Royal Institute of Law and
Administration.
IRR. 1. Implementing Rules and Regulations
(MOF). 2. Internal Rate of Return. (See also
ERR; FRR).
IRRI. International Rice Research Institute. Lao
branch established 2007.
IRW. Integrated Reading and Writing [approach to
second language teaching].
IS. International shopping. (Compare with DP, ICB,
LCB).
ISCED. International Standard Classification of
Education. (UNESCO). Nine main categories
relevant to Laos are defined (see also Annex
Figure 1). Note that several digits are used to
indicate distinctions within main categories:
0 Early childhood; Pre-primary education;
1 Primary education;
2 Lower secondary education;
34 Upper secondary, general
35 Upper secondary, vocational
44 Post-secondary, non-tertiary, general;
45 Post-secondary, non-tertiary, vocational;
5 Short-cycle tertiary education;
6 Bachelor's degree or equivalent;
7 Master's degree or equivalent; and
8 Doctor's degree or equivalent.
Note 1: For many of these main categories, several
sub-categories are also assigned numerical codes.
Note 2: References to 1997 codes are sometimes
denoted ISCED97. The current edition is denoted
ISCED 2011.
Note 3: Compare with ISCO, ISIC.
ISCO. International Standard Classification of
Occupations. (ILO). (Compare with ISCED,
ISIC).
ISDS. Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet. (WB).
ISIC. International Standard Industrial Classification
[of All Economic Activities]. (United Nations
system for classifying economic data). (Compare
with ISCED, ISCO).
ISM. Implementation Support Mission
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ISP. [History]. French: Institut Supérieure de
Pédagogie. Higher Institute of Pedagogy. (See
also PUV).
ISSE. Improving the Secondary School Environ-
ment. (External financing by JICA).
ISTTD. In-service Teacher Training Division. (In
DTE; compare with PSTTD).
ISTTUC. In-service Teacher Training and
Upgrading Center. (See also ISTUC; TUC).
ISTUC. In-service Teacher Upgrading Center. (See
also ISTTUC; TUC).
IT. Information technology. (Compare with ICT).
ITC. Information Technology Center. (Under
STEA).
ITE. Institute of Technical Education. (Singapore).
ITECC. International Trade Exhibition and
Convention Center
ITSME. Improving In-service Teacher Training for
Science and Mathematics Education. (Supported
by JICA). Sometimes incorrectly given as ISTME.
IU. Implementation Unit.
IUPv[V]. [History]. French: Institut universitaire de
pédagogie [de Vientiane]. University Institute of
Pedagogy [at Dong Dok]. Also referred to as
Institute of Pedagogy, University of Pedagogy,
Pedagogical University [of Vientiane], Upper
School of Pedagogy, and more (See PUV).
IVEP. International Volunteer Exchange Program.
(Volunteer program of the MCC).
IVET. Sometimes “iVET”. 1. Integrated Vocational
Education and Training. (GIZ usage; most
common usage in Laos). 2. Project externally
financed by German government. 3. Initial
Vocational Education and Training. (ILO usage).
IVET Certificate. [Formerly]. Now see TVET
Certificate.
IVETS. Integrated Vocational Education and Train-
ing System.
IV-Japan. International Cooperation NGO, Japan.
(Formerly International Volunteers Association of
Japan).
IVS. [History]. International Voluntary Services,
Inc. (NGO, USA).
IWGE. International Working Group on Education.
(Replaced by ESWG; IEDWG).
IWRAW. International Women’s Rights Action
Watch.
IYIPO. International Young Inventors Project
Olympiad. (Held annually since 2007 in Tblisi,
Georgia).
J
JAIF. Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund.
JaLYA. Japan-Laos Youth Association. (NGO,
Japan).
JAR. Joint Annual Review. (Compare with JSAR).
Jardins d’enfants. [History]. French: Literally
equivalent to German “Kindergarten”, Pre-school,
nursery school. See ECCE.
Jataka. Pali: Literally “Birth [story]”. A voluminous
collection of moral-bearing stories about the
previous lives of the Buddha.
Historical Note: Many of these stories, especially
the animal fables, are well-known to Lao children
and adults. Some closely parallel stories
embedded in other cultural traditions, including
Aesop’s fables.
JBIC. Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
JBU. Japan Federation of Basic Industry Worker’s
Union.
JCC. Joint Coordinating Committee.
JD. Job Description.
JDS. Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource
Development Scholarships.
JENESYS. Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange
for Students and Youths.
JETRO. Japan External Trade Organization.
JFIT. Japanese Funds in Trust.
JFPR. Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.
JICA. Japan International Cooperation Agency.
JICC. Japan Information and Culture Center
(Embassy of Japan, Vientiane).
JICE. Japan International Cooperation Center.
JICHIRO. All Japan Prefectural and Municipal
Workers Union. (NGO).
JITCO. Japan International Training Cooperation
Organization.
JOCA. Japan Overseas Cooperative Association.
(See also JOCV).
JOCV[/SV]. Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
[/Senior Volunteer]. (See also JOCA).
JODC. Japan Overseas Development Corporation.
JOICFP. Japanese Organization for International
Cooperation in Family Planning.
Jomtien. Reference to the World Conference on
Education for All, held in Jomtien, Thailand,
March 5-9, 1990, resulting in the World
Declaration on Education For All. Laos
participated and was a signatory.
Historical Note: See also APPEAL, Karachi Plan.
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JRM. Joint Review Mission.
JSAR. Joint Semi-Annual Review. (Compare with
JAR).
JSDF. Japanese Social Development Fund.
JSF. Japan Special Fund. (At the ADB).
JSRC. Japan Sotoshu [a school of Japanese Zen
Buddhism] Relief Committee. (Renamed SVA in
1999, reverted to JSRC in 2005).
JSRM. Joint Sector Review Mission.
Junior high school. See Lower secondary school.
Junior primary school. See Lower primary school.
JV. Joint venture.
K
K, KN, K . Kip. (Lao currency unit, see also LAK.
Plural: Kip).
KAB. Know[ing] about Business. (ILO).
Karachi Plan. [History]. Plan for universal,
compulsory, and free primary education by 1980.
Historical Note: Initiated at a UNESCO meeting
in Karachi, Pakistan, in January 1960. Led in
April 1962 at a Meeting of Ministers of Education
of Asian [UNESCO] Member States to establish-
ment of an intergovernmental framework for
cooperation. Laos was one of 18 signatories.
(Compare with APPEAL, Jomtien).
KfW. German: Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau.
(German Development Bank).
KG. Kindergarten. Sometimes designating year
level KG1, KG2, KG3
KGSP. Korean Government Scholarship Program.
Khet. Lao. Traditional informal administrative unit
between village level and district level for com-
munication and some administrative and police
services.
KHM. Khammuane Province. (Also KMN).
Khou. See Ku.
Khoueng. Lao: Province.
Khumban. Lao: Village group, below district level.
(Compare with Ban, Tasseng).
KI. Key informant.
KII. Key informant interview.
Kindergarten. Considered a part of “Pre-school”,
nominally for children aged 3 - 5 years. (Compare
with Pre-primary; Pre-school; see Annex Figure 3).
KIS. Kiettisack International School. (Private,
Vientiane).
KKAFF. Korea-Asia Friendship Foundation.
KMN. Khammuane Province. (Also KHM).
KOICA. Korean International Cooperation Agency.
KOV. Korea Overseas Volunteers.
KPI. Key Performance Indicator.
KRIVET. Korea Research Institute for Vocational
Education and Training.
Ku. Also Khou. Lao: Teacher, usually at primary
level. Sometimes spelled “Kru”. (From Sanskrit
Guru). (Compare with Ajan).
KUST. Kunming University of Science and
Technology. (In Kunming, Yunnan Province,
China).
KVTS. Khammuane Vocational and Technical
School. (At Thakek, external financing by Lux-
Development).
L
LAA. [History]. Lao American Association.
L.A.O.S. Lao Academic Opportunity Scheme.
L1. Mother-tongue or native language. (Also MT,
definition 2. Compare with L2).
L2. Second language. (Compare with L1).
LA. Logistics Aid.
LAB. Lao Association of the Blind.
LABEP. Lao[s]-Australian Basic Education Project
(1999-2007). (Component of BEGP, parallel co-
financed by AusAID).
LAC. Lao American College. (Vientiane).
LACI. Loan Administration Change Initiative.
(WB).
LADLF. Lao-Australia Development Learning
Facility.
LADP. Long [District, Luangnamtha Province]
Alternative Development Project.
LAELP. Lao Australian English Language Project.
LAI. Lao Australia Institute.
LAK. Lao Kip. (See also K, KN, K).
LALIC. Laos Library and Information Consortium.
LAMP. Literacy Assessment and Monitoring
Program. (UIS, UNESCO Bangkok)
Land-linked. Historical Note: Laos is the only
Southeast Asian country without a seacoast,
without sea links with the outside world. Although
the trade routes before the French Colonial Period
passed through Luang Prabang, Laos has always
been relatively isolated from the world outside
peninsular Southeast Asia, as suggested by the
term “land-locked”.
With the focus increasingly on Southeast Asian
and global economic integration and investment in
the north-south and east-west transport corridors
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28
linking Laos with the regional markets, the 7th
Party Congress, March 2001, included in the
general goals of the Socio-Economic Development
Strategy for the ten-year period 2001-2010,
“Develop our country to be the central point of
transit of the region in the future”, i.e., as a
transport hub – no longer isolated, but instead
“land-linked”. This was referred to as the “2020
Strategy”. (See 2020 Goal).
LANITH. Lao National Institute of Tourism and
Hospitality.
LANPRO. Lao adaptation of ANPRO.
LANS. Laos Australian National Scholarship.
Lao. The word “Lao” can be used as either a noun or
an adjective. As an adjective it can describe “the
Lao people”, “the Lao culture”, “Lao citizens”, etc.
As a noun, “Lao” can refer to:
The language of the ethnic Lao people (e.g.,
“She speaks Lao” or “The book is written in
Lao”);
A person of Lao ethnicity (e.g., “The conference
was attended by three Lao, two Hmong, and a
Khmou.”); or
A Lao citizen regardless of ethnicity (e.g. “At
last! They finally appointed a Lao as Country
Director instead of a falang!”)
Note 1: The plural form of “Lao” in reference to a
person of Lao ethnicity or Lao citizenship is
“Lao”, e.g., “Three Lao attended the conference.”
Note 2: “Lao” is sometimes used to refer to the
country (e.g., “He lives in Lao”), but purists regard
this as poor style. (See Laos).
Lao Loum. Lao: “Lowland” Lao, comprising the
Tai-Kadai language family (Lao-Phutai sub-
family) and four ethnic groups. (See Ethnicity; see
also Annex Table 3).
Historical Note: The RLG classified the population
of Laos into three groups based on the assumed
topographical distribution, with little regard to
ethno-linguistic characteristics. The 1992 Central
Party Resolution on Ethnic Minorities recom-
mended that this classification no longer be used.
(See Note to Annex Table 3).
Lao Ngyai. [History]. Lao: Great Laos. The first
Lao newspaper, published 1941-1945 and focusing
mainly on cultural, literary, and linguistic issues.
Lao Soung. Lao: “Highland” Lao or “hill tribes”,
comprising the Hmong-Iu Mien and Chine-Tibetan
language families (or Hmong-Iu Mien and Tibeto-
Burman sub-families) and four ethnic groups. (See
Historical Note to Lao Loum; see also Ethnicity).
Lao Theung. Lao: “Upland” or “midland” Lao or
“Slope-dwellers”, comprising the Austro-Asiatic
language family (Mon Khmer sub-family) and
fifteen ethnic groups. (See Historical Note to Lao
Loum; see also Ethnicity).
Laoization. [History]. The process, begun after the
French Colonial Period, of revision of the school
curriculum to make it more suitable to Lao
conditions and translation of instructional materials
from French into the Lao language.
Laos. When the French colonized Laos in 1893 (see
French Colonial Period), they referred to the
country as “Le Pays des Laos”, the Land of the
Laos (i.e., Land of the Lao people), the plural form
of the largest and dominant ethnic group (one Lao,
many Laos). Some contemporary English writing
also referred to “the land of the Laos”, i.e., plural
form. Today the name of is officially Lao PDR or
Laos, as short form.
LAO-SC. Lao American Alumni Overseas Students
Club.
Laosese. [History]. In some documents from the
French Colonial Period the word “Laosese” was
used as either a noun referring to a Lao person or
the Lao language or an adjective describing a Lao
person or the Lao language. Compare with Lao.
Laotian. [History]. (Pronounced “La o' shan” or
“Lay o' shan”). Noun referring to a Lao person or
the Lao language. Adjective describing a Lao
person or the Lao language. Compare with Lao.
Note: Some writers use “Laotian” to include any
person of Lao nationality and the term “Lao” to
include only members of the Tai-Kadai ethno-
linguistic family. (See Ethnicity).
LARLP. Laos-Australia Rural Livelihoods Program.
LASP. Lao-Australian Scholarship Program.
LASS. Lao [National] Academy of Social Sciences.
LBFO. Lao Buddhist Fellowship Organization.
Lca/C. Letter of Credit.
LCB. Local competitive bidding. (Compare with
DP, ICB, IS).
LCCD. Learning for Child and Community [Project]
(UNICEF).
LCCI. 1. Lao Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
(Also LNCCI). 2. London Chamber of Commerce
and Industry.
LCHRD. Leading Committee on Human Resource
Development (of GOL).
LCS. Least Cost Selection. (WB).
LDC. 1. Least Developed Country. (Also LLDC).
2. Less developed country.
Note 1: Laos is categorized by the United Nations
as a Least Developed Country. The 6th Party
Congress in March 1996 defined the long term
goal as exiting the status of Least Developed
County by 2020. (See 2020 Goal). (Continued)
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29
Note 2: In some contexts LCD refers to “Less
Developed Country”, and “Least Developed
country” is designated “LLDC”, but in the Lao
context, LCD always refers to “Least Developed
Country”.
LDPA. Lao Disabled People’s Association.
LDR: Lao Development Report. (World Bank).
LDWDC. Lao Disabled Women’s Development
Center.
LE. Learning Element. (In an MOI).
Le Bac. See Baccalauréat.
LeAF. Learning Assessment Framework.
LEAP. Lao-Australian English for ASEAN
Purposes.
LECS. Lao Expenditure and Consumption Survey.
(First conducted 1992/93, also called LECS I).
(See also MICS).
LECS[ I] 1992/93
LECS II 1997/98
LECS III 2002/03
LECV IV 2007/08
LECS V 2012/13
LEG. Local education group. (See ESWG).
LELC. LEOT English Learning Center.
LEMTEP. Lao Ethnic Minority Teacher Education
Program (supported by LABEP).
LEOT. Lao Education Opportunities Trust. (NGO,
UK).
LERNET. Lao Education and Research Network.
LFA. 1. Logical Framework Analysis. 2. Logical
Framework Approach.
LFCLS. Laos Labor Force and Child Labor Survey.
2010.
LFIS. Loan and Grant Financial Information
Service. Also LGFIS. (ADB).
LFNC. Lao Front for National Construction. Lao:
Neo Lao Sang Xat.
Note 1: Sometimes incorrectly translated as “Lao
Front for National Reconstruction”, but that is not
correct; the Lao word used, “sang”, clearly means
“construction”, not “reconstruction”. (Concerning
the Lao word “sang”, see Note to Three Builds).
Note 2: LFNC is sometimes incorrectly described
as a “mass organization”. (See Note to Mass
Organization).
Historical Note: Successor in 1979 to the LPF.
LFNR. Lao Front for National Reconstruction.
(Incorrect translation. See LFNC, Note 1).
LFS. Labor Force Survey.
LFTU. Lao Federation of Trade Unions. (Also
LTUF).
LGFA. Lao-German Friendship Association.
LGFIS. Loan and Grant Financial Information
Service. (ADB).
LGTS. [Formerly]. Lao-German Technical School.
(Renamed Km 3 Technical School in 2010).
LGU. Local government unit.
LI. Legislative instrument.
Liberated Zone. The name given by the Pathet Lao
to those gradually expanding parts of Laos under
their control until the Revolution in December
1975.
LIEDC. Lao-India Entrepreneurship Development
Center.
LIFE. Literacy Initiative for Empowerment.
LIL. Learning and Innovation Loan. (WB).
LKVTC. Lao Korea Vocational Training Center.
(Under MOLSW).
LJC. Lao-Japan Center for Human Resources
Cooperation (NUOL).
LL. Labor Law. (Most recent, 2014).
LLA. Lao Language Aide. (Lao volunteers to work
with “at risk” students to support Lao language
development).
LLB. [Historical]. Local Limited Bidding.
LLDC. 1. Least developed country. 2. Land-locked
developing country.
LLL. 1. Dutch: Laat Laos Leren. [Let Laos Learn].
(NGO, Netherlands). 2. Lifelong Learning.
LLU. Lao Labor Union. (Lao Federation of Trade
Unions, LFTU).
LMI. 1. Lower Mekong Initiative. (Multi-national
partnership among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States).
2. Labor market information. (See also LMIS).
LMIS. Labor Market Information System.
LMS. Learning Management System. (See also
CMS; VLE).
LN. Luangnamtha Province. (Also LNT).
LNADA. Lao National Data Archive. (See DOS).
LNCCi[I]. Lao National Chamber of Commerce [and
Industry]. (Also LCCI).
LNCDC. Lao National Commission on Drugs
Control.
LNCF. Lao National Construction Front. (Non-
standard translation. See LFNC).
LNLS. Lao National Literacy Survey (2002).
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30
LNMC. Lao National Mekong Committee.
LNS. [History]. Lao National Syllabus.
LNSC. (Formerly). Lao National Sports Committee.
(MOES, see Annex Figure 7). (Merged with MOE
in September 2011 to form MOES).
LNT. Luangnamtha Province. (Also LN).
LNTA. Lao National Tourism Administration.
LNTV. Lao National Television.
LNVQF. Lao National Vocational Qualifications
Framework. Also NVQF; NQF, VQF.
LOC. Lao Olympic Committee. See NOCL.
Location Supplement. Salary supplement for
teachers serving in remote, isolated, or especially
difficult areas, determined as a percent of net
salary, as follows:
Remote and isolated areas 15 %
Remote and mountainous areas 20 %
Especially difficult areas 25 %
(See also Multi-grade Teaching Supplement).
LODP. Letter of Development Policy.
Lower primary school. [History]. Grades 1-3.
(Compare with Upper primary school, Elementary
school).
Lower secondary school. Grades 6 - 9. (See also
Matanyom. Compare with Upper Secondary
School. See Annex Figure 1).
Historical Note: Prior to the 2009/10 school year,
lower secondary school comprised a three year
program, grades 6 – 8, thus part of an 11 year
school system, now a 12 year system. (See
Historical Note to M5-M7).
LPB. Luangprabang [Province].
LPF. [History]. Lao Patriotic Front. Lao: Neo Lao
Hak Xat. Replaced in 1979 by the LFNC.
LPP. [History]. Lao People’s Party. (See LPRP).
LPRP. Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.
(Commonly known simply as “the Party”).
Established 1955 as LPP. Renamed at 2nd Party
Congress, 1972.
LPRYU. Lao Peoples’ Revolutionary Youth Union.
(See also LYU). Mass organization for youth (age
range 15-30 years).
LQA. Local Qualified Assistant.
LRC. Literacy Resource Centers for Girls and
Women. (Japanese program for assisting NGOs in
developing literacy resource centers for girls and
women).
LRF. Lao Rugby Federation.
LRHS. Lao Reproductive Health Survey. (1994,
2000, 2005).
LRM. Lao PDR Resident Mission [of the ADB].
LRPPCC. Lao Revolutionary Party Political Central
Committee. (See also PCC, LPRP).
LS. Lower Secondary [Education]. (See LSE).
LSB. Lao Statistics Bureau. (Previously NSC;
DOS).
LSBC. Lao-Singapore Business College.
(Vientiane).
LSDA. Life Skills Development Association. (Lao
NPA, definition 2).
LSE. Lower secondary education. (Grades 6 – 9
since 2009/10). (Compare with USE).
LSIS. Lao Social Indicator Survey. (See also LECS;
MICS). (1993, 2011/12).
Note: LSIS 2011/12 is a household survey using
the technical frameworks of the MICS and DHS.
LSS. Lower secondary school. (Compare with USS.
Also see LSE).
LSSG. Lower Secondary Student Grant.
LSSGP. Lower Secondary Student Grants Program.
LSTC. 1. Life Skills Training Center. 2. Lao-
Singapore Training Center (Vientiane, Km 4,
Thadeua Road).
LSTE. Lower Secondary Teacher Education.
LTP. Long-term Priority. (Compare with MTP,
STP).
LTPU. Lao Textbook Publishing Unit. (See EPE).
LTTI. [History]. Laotian Teacher Training Institute.
(At Dong Dok). (Also known as ESP; NEC
definition 2).
LTUF. Lao Trade Union Federation. (Also LFTU).
LUSEA. Lao Union of Science and Engineering.
Lux-Development. Luxembourg Agency for
Development Cooperation.
LUXOP. Lao UXO Program. (See also UXO).
LVS. Lao Volunteer Service. (Financed by CUSO;
see also HJA).
LWAN. Lao Women’s Association Network.
LWF. Learn without Fear. (Social movement).
LWTC. Lao Women’s [Vocational] Training Center.
LWU. Lao Women’s Union.
Lycée. [History]. French: Lyceum. In the Lao
(French) terminology of the colonial and post-
colonial periods, upper secondary level institution
leading to the baccalauréat. Sometimes a
combined lower secondary and upper secondary
institution was also referred to as a Lycée. (See
also Collège, French Colonial Period).
LYU. Lao Youth Union. (Formally LPRYU).
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M
M&E. Monitoring and Evaluation.
M1-M4. Lao: Matanyom 1-4. Secondary grades 1-4.
(Grades 6-9; Lower secondary). (See Matanyom).
(Compare with P1-P5). (See Historical Note to
M5-M7).
M5-M7. Lao: Matanyom 5-7. Secondary grades 5-7.
(Grades 10-12; Upper secondary). (See
Matanyom). (Compare with P1-P5).
Historical Note: As a consequence of the NESR,
M4 became part of LS beginning in SY 2009/10,
but there were no students in M7 until 2010/11.
MAF. 1. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
2. MDG Acceleration Framework.
MAG. Mines Advisory Group. (INGO).
Maha. Lao: Title for a person highly educated in the
Buddhist temple but who has left the monastic
order. (Compare with Ajan).
Mahout. From Sanskrit, not used in the Lao
language: Elephant handler.
MAIP. Multi-Annual Indicative Program. (Also
MIP) (EC).
Mass Organization. Lao mass organizations, under
the leadership of the Party, include the Lao Federa-
tion of Military Veterans, the Lao Federation of
Trade Unions, the Lao Women’s Union, and the
Lao [People’s Revolutionary] Youth Union. (See
also LFNC).
Note: Article 10 of the Amended Lao Constitution
of 2003 specifically distinguishes Party and state
organizations, the Lao Front for National Con-
struction, mass organizations, and social organiza-
tions, all of which are bound by the Constitution
and laws.
Matanyom. Lao: Secondary school grades, including
both lower secondary (Matanyom ton) and upper
secondary (Matanyom pai). (See M1-4, M5-7).
(Compare with Pathom).
MBA. Master of Business Administration.
MCA. Maximum Country Allocation. (GPE; see
also NPF).
MCC. Mennonite Central Committee. (NGO, USA,
Canada).
MCH. Mother and Child Health.
MCTPC. [Formerly]. Ministry of Communication,
Transport, Post, and Construction. (Now see MPT
and MPWT).
MDA. Mid-Decade Assessment [of progress toward
EFA goals].
MDGs[s]. Millennium Development Goal[s]. (See
also MLG, SDG). (Continued)
Note: Of the eight goals set, two have special
relevance to the education sector:
MDG2: Ensure that by 2015 children every-
where, boys and girls alike, will be able to
complete a full course of primary schooling;
MDG3: Eliminate gender disparity in primary
and secondary education, preferably by 2005,
and in all levels of education no later than 2015.
Note: For a complete listing of the Lao national
goals, indicators, and targets for the education
sector, see Annex Table 5.
Historical Note: Established following the
adoption of the United Nations Millennium
Declaration at the UN Millennium Summit in
September 2000 and subsequently “nationalized”
to reflect the particular situation in each country.
MDGR. MDG Report.
MDRD. Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into
Development.
MDTF. Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
MEC. Mekong English Center. (Private, Luang
Prabang).
MEFL. Marubeni Education Foundation in Laos.
(Corporate foundation, Japan).
Mekong Sub-Region. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam.
Meo. [History]. Term used by the government of the
United States during the Vietnam war to refer to
the Hmong Iu-Mien ethno-linguistic groups living
in Laos and Vietnam. Considered derogatory by
many Hmong people (See Ethnicity).
MES. Ministry of Education and Sports. (Also
MOES).
MESRA. [History]. Ministry of Education, Sports,
and Religious Affairs.
Meuang. See Muang.
MfDR. Managing for Development Results. (WB;
see also SRF).
MGt[T]. Multi-grade [teaching]. (See Multi-grade
classroom; Multi-grade school; Multi-grade
teaching).
MIC. See MOIC.
MICS. Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. (See also
LECS, LSIS).
MICS 2005/06
MICS/DHS/LSIS 2011/12
MICT. Ministry of Information, Culture, and
Tourism. (Also MOICT).
Midline Assessment. Assessment during an inter-
vention. (Compare with Baseline Assessment,
Endline Assessment).
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MIH. [Formerly]. Ministry of Industry and Handi-
craft. (Now see DIH, MOIC).
Minsai. Japanese NGO. (See EDF).
MIP. 1. Multi-annual Indicative Program.
2. Multiple –Indicative Program. (Also MAIP)
(EC). 3. Multi-Indicative Program.
MIS. 1. Management Information System. (See
CMIS, EMIS, FMIS, HEMIS, PMIS).
2. Monitoring Information System.
MJIIT. Malaysia-Japan International Institute of
Technology.
MLE. Multi-lingual education. Specialists often
distinguish between “Weak MLE”: 2 years of
mother tongue instruction prior to transition to
national language, and “Strong MLE”: At least 5
years of mother tongue instruction prior to
transition to national language.
MLG. Millennium Learning Goal. (See MDG).
MLL. Minimum Level of Learning.
MLLT. Methods of Lao Language Teaching.
MLSW. See MOLSW.
MOA. Memorandum of Agreement.
MOAF. Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry.
MOE. [History]. Ministry of Education. (Renamed
MOES in September, 2011, after merger with the
LNSC).
Historical Note: Over the years, before and after
the Revolution in 1975, the ministry responsible
for education has had many different names,
including:
Ministry of Education, Sport, and Youth;
Ministry of Education;
Ministry of Education and Sports;
Ministry of Education, Art, and Pioneer Sports;
Ministry of Education, Sport, and Religious
Affairs;
Ministry of National Education; and
Ministry of National Education and Fine Arts.
MOES. Ministry of Education and Sports.
Historical Note: (Was MOES, renamed to MOE in
April, 1993; merged with the the National Sports
Committee in September, 2011 and renamed
MOES. (Also MES. See MOE, Historical Note).
MOET. [In Vietnam]. Ministry of Education and
Training.
MOF. Ministry of Finance.
MOFA. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MOH. Ministry of Health.
MOHA. Ministry of Home Affairs. (Formerly
PACSA)
MOI. Module of Instruction.
MOIC. 1. Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
2. [History]. Ministry of Information and Culture.
(See MICT; MOICT).
MOICT. Ministry of Information, Culture, and
Tourism. (Also MICT).
MOJ. Ministry of Justice.
MOLSW. Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
Also MLSW.
Monastic College. Sangha College. (See Sangha
College, Champasak; Sangha College, Vientiane).
MONRE. Ministry of Natural Resources and
Environment.
Montagnard[s]. French: Literally “mountain
dweller[s]”, referring during the French Colonial
Period generally to ethnic communities in the
upland and mountainous areas of Laos and
Vietnam; during the Vietnam War (American War)
referring in the American literature more
specifically but not exclusively to the Hmong
communities. (Compare with Meo).
MOOC. Massive Open Online Course.
MOODLE. Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic
Learning Environment.
MOPH. [Formerly] Ministry of Public Health. See
MOH.
MOPI. Ministry of Planning and Investment. Also
MPI. (Replaced CPI). (Also MPI).
MOPS. Ministry of Public Security.
MOPWT. Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
Also MPWT.
MOS. Microsoft Office Specialist. (Certification
program for using the Microsoft Office suite of
business applications).
MOST. Ministry of Science and Technology.
MOU. Memorandum of Understanding.
Mouvement de Jeunesse. [History]. French: Youth
Movement.
MPDF. Mekong Project Development Facility.
MPI. Ministry of Planning and Investment. Also
MOPI. (Replaced CPI).
MPIC. [History]. Ministry of Propaganda,
Information, and Culture. (Renamed MOIC).
MPT. Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
MPWT. Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
(Formerly MCTPC).
MRA. Mutual Recognition Arrangement. (Inter-
national agreements for managing migration
through mutual recognition of standards in selected
occupational categories.)
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MRC. Mekong River Commission.
MRE. Mine Risk Education.
MRM. Midterm Review Mission.
MSHEI. Minimum Standards for Higher Education
Institutions. (Adopted 2013).
MT. 1. Mobile Teacher. 2. Mother-tongue. (See
also L1, L2).
MTE. Midterm Evaluation. (See also MTR).
MTEF. Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
(See also E-MTEF).
MTP. 1. Mobile Teacher Program. 2. Modular
Training Package. 4. Medium-term Priority.
(Compare with LTP, STP).
MTPEP. Medium Term Provincial Education
[Development] Plan.
MTR. Mid-term Review. (See also MTE).
MTSPIP. [Financial Management] Medium Term
Strategy and Performance Improvement Plan.
Muad. Lao: A traditional cluster or sub-cluster of
incomplete “feeder schools” and a complete
school. A muad usually contains 3 - 5 schools
(school clusters are sometimes larger), usually
including only primary schools, but in some
communities including also include secondary
schools. (See Complete school; Groupe Scolaire;
School cluster; School network).
Muang. Lao: 1. Town, city, district. 2. [History].
Principality. (Also spelled Meuang).
Multi-grade classroom. Classroom in which
instruction is provided at two or more grade levels.
(Also “Mixed classes”).
Multi-grade school. School in which teaching is
conducted in multi-grade classrooms, usually in
sparsely populated areas, as a cost-effective
approach to providing complete primary level
instruction. (Compare with Complete school, In-
complete school, Shifting classes).
Multi-grade Teaching Supplement. Salary supple-
ment for teachers serving in multi-grade class-
rooms, determined as a percent of base salary, as
follows:
Two-grade classrooms 25 %
Three-grade classrooms 50 %
Note: The percent values of these supplements can
change over time. (See also Location
Supplement).
Multi-grade teaching. Instruction in the context of
two or more primary school grades in the same
classroom.
MWP. 1. Manual of Work Procedures. (Developed
originally with support from BEGP). 2. Master
Work Plan.
N
NA. 1. National Assembly. 2. Nutrition Advisor.
NADA. [Lao] National Data Archive. (Also
LNADA). (See DOS).
NAFC. Northern Agriculture and Forestry College.
(Under MOAF).
NAFRI. National Agriculture and Forestry Research
Institute. (Under MOAF).
Naiban. Lao: Village head.
NAPS. National Association of Private Schools.
NAR. 1. Net Attendance Ratio. 2. Net Admission
Rate. Note: UIS does not define this term. When
this term is written, Net Intake Rate (NIR) is
probably meant, but see Note to Adjusted Net
Attendance Ratio.
NAST. National Authority for Science and
Technology. (Under the PMO, definition 1).
Natasin School. Lao: School of Dramatic Arts;
School of Music and Drama. (Under MOICT;
Compare with Silapa School).
NatCom. National Commission [for UNESCO].
Also UNC.
National Day. December 2, when the proclamation
of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 1975
is celebrated. (Sometimes referred to in official
documents as Independence Day).
Nayobai. Lao: Literally “Policy”, often used to refer
to the policy of granting special rights or exemp-
tions to specific individuals or groups, for example
the policy of exempting children of teachers from
sitting for admission exams for teacher training or
the “affirmative action” policy for admission of
children from remote ethnic communities or
children of national heroes to education programs.
NBTS. National Baseline Tracer Study.
NCA. Norwegian Church Aid. (NGO, Norway).
NCAW. National Commission for the Advancement
of Women.
NCB. National Competitive Bidding. (Compare
with DP, ICB, IS, LCB).
NCDP. National Committee for Disabled People.
NCEA. National Conference of Education
Administrators.
NCEFA. National Commission for EFA. (See Note
to NEFAC).
NCER. National Commission for Education Reform.
NCESR. National Commission for Education
System Reform. (See NCER; NCNESR).
NCMC. National Commission for Mothers and
Children. (See also PCMC).
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NCNESR. National Commission for National
Education System Reform. (See NESR; NESRC;
NESRS; NCER).
NCP. New Colombo Plan. (Australian Government
higher education exchange program). (See also
Colombo Plan).
NCRE. See NCER.
NCSEZ. National Committee for Special [and
Specific] Economic Zones. (See also SEZ, SSEZ,
S-NCSEZ).
NCT. Newly certified teacher.
NCTC. National Charter of Teacher Competencies.
(See also CNTC, CNC, NTC).
NCTS. National Council for TVET and SD.
Replaced NTC December 2009. (See also
NVCLSDC).
NDF. National Development Framework.
NDMC. National Disaster Management Committee.
NDMO. National Disaster Management Office.
NEC. 1. [Annual] National Education Conference
(typically held in July each year for planning and
preparation of the coming school year).
2. [History]. National Education Center. (Name
applied by USAID in the 1960s for École
Supérieure de Pédagogie and other educational
institutions developed in the 1960s and early 1970s
at Dong Dok, some 10 km north of Vientiane).
NEDC. See NFEDC.
NEFAC. National EFA Commission. (Also
NCEFA).
Note: The National EFA Commission is referenced
by several different abbreviations in the literature,
but the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 68/PM, 24
March 2005 establishes the “National Education
for All Commission”.
NEM. [History]. New Economic Mechanism.
(Endorsed in November 1986 by the 4th Party
Congress and launching the transition to a market
economy).
Neo Lao Hak Xat. See LPF.
Neo Lao Sang Xat. See LFNC.
NEQAF. National Education Quality Assurance
Framework.
NEQMAP. Network on Education Quality
Monitoring in the Asia-Pacific. (UNESCO
Bangkok; ESQAC is the Lao member).
NEQSf[F]. National Education Quality Standards
[Framework].
NER. Net Enrollment Rate. (Compare with GER,
ASER).
NERA. Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate. (Also
ANER. Compare with ASER, GER, NER).
NERI. National Economics Research Institute.
(Under MPI).
Historical note: Established 1997 under CPI.
NESE. National Excellent Student Examination.
NESQAC. 1. [Formerly] National Education
Standard and Quality Accreditation Commission.
2. [Formerly] National Education Standard and
Quality Assurance Center. (See ESQAC)
NESR. National Education System Reform (2006-
2015). (MOE, 2006). (See NCNESR; NESRS;
see also Historical Note to M5-M7).
NESRC. National Education System Reform
Committee. (See NESR; NESRS; NCER).
NESRS. National Education System Reform
Strategy [Phase I: 2006-2010, Phase II: 2010-
2015]. (MOE, April 2008). (See NCNESR;
NESRC; NESR).
Historical Note: An early draft of the NESRS was
circulated in 2006, and a later draft was circulated
in 2007. The final English version is dated April
2008, but the official Lao version is dated August
2008. In English language documents, NESRS is
commonly cited as either 2006, 2007, or 2008.
Net Attendance Ratio. Note: UIS does not define
this statistic (see NER and NERA), but it is used in
household sample surveys (such as MICS), which
do not access school records. There it is defined as
the percentage of children of the official primary
or secondary school age who are attending primary
or secondary school, respectively, during the
survey.
Net Enrollment Rate. (NER). UIS Definition:
Enrolment of the official age group for a given
level of education expressed as a percentage of the
corresponding population. (Compare with Gross
Enrollment Ratio, Age-Specific Enrollment Rate).
Net Intake Rate. (NIR). UIS Definition: Total
number of new entrants in the 1st grade of primary
education who are of the official primary school-
entrance age, expressed as a percentage of the
population of the same age. (Compare with AIR,
GIR).
NEU. National Economics University [of Vietnam]
(in cooperative program with NUOL to provide
MBA degrees in Laos).
NFE. Non-formal education.
NFEC. Non-formal Education Center.
NFED. (See also DNFE).
NFEDC. Non-formal Education Development
Center. (Vientiane, at Km 8).
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NFUAJ. National Federation of UNESCO
Associations in Japan. (NGO, Japan).
NGO. Non-governmental organization. (See also
INGO; NPO).
NGPES. National Growth and Poverty Eradication
Strategy. (Published June 2004. Early drafts
referred to as PRSP; NPEP).
NGPES-Ed. National Growth and Poverty
Eradication Strategy, Part IV, Chapter 2: Poverty-
focused Education Development Action Plan
Priorities. (Early drafts referred to NPEP-Ed).
(See NGPES).
NIEQA. National Institute for Education Quality
Assessment.
NIPV. [History]. National Institute of Pedagogy in
Vientiane. See IUP; ESP; HIPV; NEC definition
2; VPU; PUV. Merged into NUOL in 1996).
NIR. Net Intake Rate. (Compare with AIR, GIR).
NIT. National Implementation Team. (Compare
with DIT definition 1, PIT definition 1).
NL. National Library.
NLHS. Also NLHX. Lao: Neo Lao Hak Sat. See
LPF.
NLHX. Also NLHS. Lao: Neo Lao Hak Xat. See
LPF.
NLPG. National Language Processing Group.
(Under ITC).
NLSX. Lao: Neo Lao Sang Xat. See LFNC.
NOCL. National Olympic Committee of Laos.
Historical Note: Created 1975, recognized 1979.
Laos first participated in the Olympics 1980.
NOL. “No objections” Letter.
Non-basic education. [Sub-sectors in EFA context].
Upper secondary, vocational and technical, and
higher education. (Compare with Basic education.
See also PBE).
NORAD. Norwegian Agency for Development
Cooperation.
Normal school. [History]. Following contemporary
American terminology, “normal school” referred
to a teacher education institution below university
level. (In USAID support to RLG and PGNU).
NORRAG. Network for International Policies and
Cooperation in Education and Training. (Formerly
“Northern Research Review and Advisory
Group”).
Northern Region. Phongsaly, Luang Namtha,
Oudamxay, Bokeo, Luang Phrabang, Houphanh,
Xayabury. (See also Central Region; Southern
Region; Special Region).
NOSPA. National Organization for the Study of
Policy and Administration.
NP / P / PP. Non-poor / Poor / Poorest. (Poverty
classification of districts established in NGPES).
NPA. 1. National Plan of Action. (See especially
EFA-NPA, NSPAIE). 2. Not-for-profit
association. (See also CSO).
NPD. National Project Director.
NPDP. National Population and Development
Policy.
NPE. National Project Engineer. (EQIP II).
NPEP. [Lao PDR] National Poverty Eradication
Plan. (Earlier referred to as PRSP, later renamed
NGPES; see also NPEP-Ed).
NPEP-Ed. [Lao PDR] National Poverty Eradication
Plan – Education Sector. (See NGPES-Ed).
NPF. Needs and Performance Framework.
(Allocation formula for GPE. Note that in 2014
the “performance” part was removed, and the
revised allocation formula, sometimes referred to
as the “revised NPF”, was based solely on need.
See also MCA.)
NPHECD. National Policy for Holistic Early
Childhood Development.
NPI. National Polytechnic Institute. (Founded 1984,
merged in 1995 into NUOL, Faculty of
Engineering and Architecture. Not to be confused
with Polytechnic College located nearby). (See
FOE, definition 2; FOAR).
NPIE. National Policy on Inclusive Education.
NPO. Non-profit organization; Not-for-profit
organization. (See NPA).
NPRS. National Poverty Reduction Strategy.
NPV. Net Present Value.
NQF. National Qualifications Framework. Also
NVQF, LNVQF, VQF. (Compare with RQF).
NRC. 1. National Research Center. (NUOL).
2. National Rehabilitation Center.
NREN. National Research and Education Network.
NRIES. [Formerly]. National Research Institute for
Educational Sciences. [Re-organized in 2007 as a
department-level unit within MOE]. (See RIES).
NSAW. National Strategy for the Advancement of
Women.
NSC. 1. Natural Science Center. (Within RIES).
2. [Formerly]. National Statistics Center.
(Renamed DOS, now LSB).
NSDF. National Skills Development Fund.
(Managed by MOLSW).
NSDW. National Strategy for the Development of
Women. (1998-2005, 2005-2010).
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NSEDP. National Socio-Economic Development
Plan. (Also Five-Year Plan; endorsed by the Party
Congress, designed to implement the resolution of
the Congress, and approved by the National
Assembly).
1st Plan, 1981-1985;
2nd Plan, 1986-1990;
3rd Plan, 1991-1995 (Delayed implementation);
4th Plan, 1996-2000;
5th Plan, 2001-2005, 2001-2010, 2001-2020;
6th Plan, 2006-2010;
7th Plan, 2011-2015;
8th Plan, 2016-2020 (in preparation)
Note: The abbreviations often include the Plan
number, e.g. NSEDP7 or 7NSEDP for the 7th Plan.
NSEEA. National Strategy on Environmental
Education and Awareness.
NSMP. National School Meals Program. (See also
SMP).
NSPAIE. National Strategy and Plan of Action on
Inclusive Education 2011-2015. (Pub. MOES,
2011).
NT II. Nam Theun 2 [Hydropower Project]. (Also
NT2).
NT2. Nam Theun 2 [Hydropower Project]. (Also
NT II).
NTC. 1. National Teacher Competencies. (See also
CNC; CNTC). 2. National Training Council.
(Replaced by NCTS December 2009). (Compare
with RTC). 3. [HRD] National Technical
Committee. (Chaired by the Minister of Education
and Sports, with high-level representation from
other ministries and national organizations).
(Compare with HRDNC).
NTC-PO. National Training Council Permanent
Office.
NTEAB. National Teacher Education Advisory
Board.
NTEP. National Teacher Education Plan. (Earlier
named NTTP, developed with support of TTEST.
Led to TES and TESAP).
NTNA. National Training Needs Analysis.
(Conducted under HRD-ME support).
NTPC. Nam Theun2 Power Company Ltd.
NTTP. National Teacher Training Plan. Renamed
NTEP (developed under TTEST support), renamed
TESAP.
NTU. 1. Network for Teacher Upgrading.
2. Nanyang Technological University. (Singapore).
NTUC. 1. Network for Teachers Upgrading Centers.
(See also TUC). 2. [Formerly] National Teacher
Upgrading Center.
NTUP. 1. Network for Teacher Upgrading Program.
(See also TUP). 2. 2. [Formerly] National
Teacher Upgrading Program.
NUOL PS. The National University of Laos
Provincial Scholarship.
NUOL. National University of Lao PDR. (See
Annex Table 2).
Historical Note: NUOL was established in 1995
and opened in 1996 following the merger of ten
higher education institutions, namely:
University of Pedagogy (Dong Dok), also
known as Vientiane Teacher Training College;
Polytechnic University, also known as the
National Polytechnic Institute (Vientiane);
University of Health Sciences, also known as
the College of Medical Sciences (Vientiane);
College of Agriculture (Nabong);
College of Forestry (Dong Dok);
School of Irrigation (Tad Thong);
School of Architecture (Vientiane);
School of Communication and Transport
(Vientiane);
Lao-German School of Electronics, also known
as the College of Electronics and Electro-
technology (Vientiane), and
Veunkham Agriculture Center.
NURBIDS. National Urban-Rural Basic Infra-
structure Development Strategy.
NUS. National University of Singapore.
NVCLSDC. National Vocational Consulting and
Labor Skill Development Council. (See NCTS).
NVCSDC. National Vocational Consulting and
Skills Development Committee.
NVQF. National Vocational Qualifications
Framework. Also LNVQF, NQF, VQF. (See
detail in VQF).
NZAID. New Zealand International Aid and
Development Agency.
NZAP. New Zealand Aid Program.
O
O&M. Operation and Maintenance.
OA. Operating Account. (WB). (See also DA).
OC. Operating Committee.
ODA. Official Development Assistance.
Note: Includes assistance from both bilateral
donors and multilateral institutions.
ODL. Open and distance learning.
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ODOP. One district, one product. (Compare with
OVOP).
ODX. Oudomxay Province. (Also UDX).
OECD. Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development.
OEM. Operations Evaluation Mission. (ADB).
OffJT. Off-the-job training. (Compare with OJT).
OIC. 1. Officer in Charge. 2. Organizational
Improvement Committee. (MOE).
OIF. French: Organisation Internationale de la
Francophonie. International Organization of the
French-speaking World.
Historical Note: Laos became a member of OIF in
1991.
OJT. On-the-job training. (Compare with OffJT,
Practicum).
OM. Operations Manual. (See also POM).
OMI. [History]. Oblate of Mary Immaculate.
Historical Note: Missionary religious congregation
in the Catholic Church, active in Laos from 1956
to 1974, building churches, orphanages, and
schools.
OOPP. Objectives-Oriented Project Planning. (See
also ZOPP).
OP. Operation Permit. (Also referred to as Operat-
ing Permit or Operational Permit, but the
document issued to an NGO by MOFA is titled
“Operation Permit”).
Open learning. Learning programs which can be
interrupted at any time, in which credits or learning
units can be accumulated to bridge the gap
between courses at a given qualification level.
ORAF. Operational Risk Assessment Framework.
OSOP. One School, One Project.
Oudom. Upper secondary school grades. (Also
Matanyom pai). (See M5-7). (Compare with
Pathom).
OVI. Objectively Verifiable Indicator. (Used
especially in LFA; see also SOV).
OVOP. One village, one product. (Compare with
ODOP).
OxAus. Oxfam Australia. (NGO, Australia).
P
P. See NP / P / PP.
P1-P3. [History]. Primary, 1st Cycle, grades 1-3.
(See also P4-P6).
P1-P5. Primary grades 1-5. (See Pathom). (Also
G1-G5). (Compare with M1-M4, M5-M7).
P4-P6. [History]. Primary, 2nd Cycle, grades 4-6.
(See also P1-P3).
PA. 1. Pedagogical Advisor [based at District Educa-
tion Bureaus and responsible for monitoring,
supervising, and supporting primary school
instruction]. (See also PPA, SPA). 2. Professional
Assistant [based at TEIs and responsible for
development of teacher trainers]. 3. Provincial
[bank] account.
PACSA. [Formerly]. Public Administration and
Civil Service Authority. (Now see MOHA).
PAD. 1. Project Appraisal Document (WB).
2. [Formerly]. Policy Analysis Division.
(Renamed SREAC).
PADETC. Participatory Development Training
Center.
PAF. Performance Assessment Framework.
(Compare with PAM, definition 2).
Pagoda. See Wat.
Pali. Liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.
Written in the Tham script.
Pali Institute. See Sangha College, Vientiane.
Pali School. Schools providing monastic education,
including the Buddhist Dhamma (doctrine, teach-
ings of the Buddha) and the Pali language, with
teaching at primary, secondary, and tertiary level.
Historical Note: Before the French Colonial
Period, the wat served as the center of culture and
learning. During the colonial period the temple
schools, especially in the rural villages, began to
teach school-age boys not only the traditional
religious curriculum but also secular subjects
reading, writing, and arithmetic. With the spread
of state-based secular schooling, enrollments in the
Pali schools declined, especially after the intro-
duction of compulsory schooling. (Not to be
confused with the secular functions of Temple
schools and Wat schools).
Palm leaf manuscript. [History]. Documents,
mainly Buddhist religious texts, written on palm
leaves, among the first writing materials used in
Southeast Asia.
PAM. 1. Project Administration Manual. (ADB).
2. Policy Action Matrix (e.g., in PAF).
PAME. Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation.
PAP. Project Affected Persons.
PAR. Participatory action research.
Paris Declaration [on Aid Effectiveness].
Declaration signed at high level conference in
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38
Paris, March 2, 2005. (See also Vientiane
Declaration on Aid Effectiveness). Main features
included:
Ownership: Developing countries set their own
strategies for poverty reduction, improve their
institutions and tackle corruption;
Alignment: Donor countries align behind these
objectives and use local systems in their support
programs;
Harmonization: Donor countries coordinate,
their programs, simplify procedures and share
information to avoid duplication;
Results: Developing countries and donors shift
focus to development results and results get
measured; and
Mutual accountability: Donors and partners are
accountable for development results.
Pariyatti. Pali: Intellectual or theoretical understand-
ing of the teachings of the Buddha.
Party Congress. Key decision-making forum. Since
1986 held every five years and endorsing the Five-
Year Plan (FYP, formally NSEDP) for the coming
period:
1st Congress March 22, 1955
2nd Congress February 1972
3rd Congress April 27-30, 1982 1st FYP
4th Congress Nov. 13-15, 1986 2nd FYP
5th Congress March 27-29, 1991 3rd FYP
6th Congress March 18-20, 1996 4th FYP
7th Congress March 12-14, 2001 5th FYP
8th Congress March 18-21, 2006 6th FYP
9th Congress March 17-21, 2011 7th FYP
10th Congress March 2016 (in preparation)
Party, The. See LPRP.
PASEC. French: Programme d’Analyse des Systèmes
Éducatifs de la CONFEMEN. Program on the
Analysis of Education Systems of CONFEMEN.
Pasopkane Teacher. Lao: Experienced Teacher.
[Title, 4th Rank]. (See also Samnanekane Teacher;
Xiosane Teacher; Xiosane Avouso Teacher).
PATA. Policy and Advisory Technical Assistance.
(ADB).
Pathet Lao. [History]. Lao: Literally ‘Land of the
Lao [people]’. In the 1950s through 1975 it was
widely used in Western literature to denote the Lao
revolutionary movement as a whole.
Pathom. Lao: Primary school grades. (See P1-P5;
compare with Matanyom).
Paxaxon teacher. Lao. People’s Teacher.
(Honorific title for teacher selected at provincial
level). Compare with Haeng Xad Teacher.
Payment Course. See Special Course.
PBA. 1. Program Based Approach. 2. Performance
Based Allocation (ADB).
PBC. Planning and Budgeting Committee.
PBE. Post-Basic Education.
PBL. 1. Project Based Learning. 2. Problem Based
Learning.
PC. [Historical]. Price Comparison.
PCA. 1. Procurement Capacity Assessment (WB).
2. Program Cooperation Agreement.
PCC. Party Central Committee. (See also
LRPPCC).
PCD. 1. Project Coordination Division
(MOES/DPC). 2. Procurement Concept Document
(WB).
PCF. Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation. (NGO,
Switzerland).
PCK. Pedagogical Content Knowledge. (Compare
with PK, SMK).
PCM. 1. Provincial Coordination Meeting.
2. Provincial Coordinating Mechanism. 3. Project
Cycle Management.
PCMC. Provincial Commission for Mothers and
Children. (See also NCMC).
PCN. Project Concept Note.
PCR. 1. Project Completion Report. (ADB). (WB,
renamed ICR). (Compare with TCR). 2. Primary
Completion Rate. (Note: UIS does not define a
Primary Completion Rate. See Cohort Completion
Rate.)
PCSS. Procurement Contract Summary Sheet.
(ADB). (See also PCUS).
PCU. Project Coordination Unit. (See also PID,
definition 3; PIU).
PCUS. Procurement Contract Update Sheet. (ADB).
(See also PCSS).
PD. 1. Professional development. 2. Paris
Declaration. (Compare with VD).
PDA. Professional Development Assistants.
PDC. 1. Professional Development Coordination.
2. Professional Development Coordinator.
PDD. 1. Project Design Document. 2. Program
Design Document.
PDM. Project design matrix.
PDN. Professional Development Network.
PDO. 1. Program Development Operations. (WB).
2. Project Development Objective.
PDP. 1. Professional Development Program.
2. Professional Development Plan.
PDR. People’s Democratic Republic.
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39
PDS. Project Data Sheet. (ADB).
PDU. Professional Development Unit.
PE. 1. Primary Education. 2. Physical Education.
PEcc[C]C. [Formerly]. Private Education [Con-
sultative] Council. (Renamed PEACO).
PEA. 1. Private Education Association. 2. Project
Executing Agency. (Compare with PIA).
3. Provincial Education Allocation.
PEACO. Private Education Advisory Council
Office.
PEFA. Public Expenditure and Financial
Accountability.
PEM. Public Expenditure Management.
PEMSP. [Formerly]. Public Expenditure Manage-
ment Strengthening Program. (Renamed PFMSP).
PEO. [History]. Provincial Education Officer.
PEP. Public Expenditure Plan.
PEQS. Primary Education Quality Standards.
PER. Public Expenditure Review.
Permanent teacher. A teacher (regardless of qualifi-
cations) permanently assigned to a given school.
(Not to be confused with Quota teacher).
(Compare with Temporary teacher).
PERP. [History]. Post-secondary Education
Rationalization Project. (Also PSERP. 1995-
2003. External financing by ADB. Led to the
establishment of NUOL).
PES. [History]. Provincial Education Services.
(Renamed PESS in 2010). (See also CES).
PESL. Primary Education Support for Laos.
(External financing by French Cooperation).
PESS. Provincial Education and Sports Services.
(Formerly PES). (See Annex Table 1).
PET. Project Evaluation Team.
PETS. Public Expenditure Tracking Survey.
Peuan Mit. Lao: Friends. (See FI).
PFM. Public financial management.
PFMSP. Public Financial Management Strengthen-
ing Program. (External financing by WB;
formerly PEMSP).
PFS. Provincial Financial Services.
PGNU. [History]. Provisional Government of
National Union. (Official title of the 2nd and 3rd
Coalition Governments, 1962-1963, 1973-1975).
Phagna. [History]. Lao: Honorary title of nobility,
usually granted in recognition of military or civil
service to the state.
Phi. Lao: Spirit; an incorporeal being, as in “spirit
world”.
Phra Sangkharat. Lao: Chief Abbot of the Lao
Buddhist Sangha.
PI. Plan International. (INGO).
PIA. Project Implementing Agency. (Compare with
PEA, definition 2).
PIAAC. Program for the International Assessment of
Adult Competencies. (OECD. Compare with
PISA).
PIC. Pubic Information Center. (World Bank
Office, Vientiane).
PID. 1. Project Information Document (WB).
2. Program Information Document (WB).
3. Project Implementation Division. (See also
PCU, PIU). 4. Project implementation design.
Pillar. See Three Pillars; Four Pillars of Education.
PIM. Project Implementation Manual.
Pioneers[s]. See Young Pioneers.
PIP. 1. Public Investment Program. 2. Project
Implementation Plan.
PIR. Project Implementation Report.
PIS. Panyathip International School. (Private,
Vientiane).
PISA. Program for International Student
Assessment. (OECD. Compare with IEA,
PIAAC).
PIT. 1. Provincial Implementation Team. (Compare
with DIT definition 1, NIT) 2. Provincial
Inclusive Education Trainer.
Pitaka. Pali: [literally “Basket”, hence collection of]
Buddhist teachings. (See also Tipitaka).
PIU. Project Implementation Unit. (See also PCU,
PID definition 2; PMU).
PK. Pedagogical Knowledge. (Compare with PCK,
SMK).
PL. Policy Letter (WB). (See also DPL).
PLA. Participatory Learning and Action.
Plan. Plan International Laos. (INGO)
Play group. Day care for pre-school children
organized by the community, typically with
support from NGOs. (Compare with Crèche, Pre-
school, Kindergarten. See Annex Figure 3).
PLC. Professional Learning Community.
PLD. Provincial Labor Department.
PM. 1. Progress map. 2. Policy matrix. 3. Person-
months. 4. Prime Minister.
PMD. Project Management Division. (MOES,
within DP, definition 3).
PMF. Performance Measurement Framework.
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40
PMIS. Personnel Management Information System.
(Compare with CMIS, EMIS, FMIS, GIS).
PMO. 1. Prime Minister’s Office. 2. Project
Management Office.
PMR. Project Management Reporting.
PMU. Program Management Unit. (See also PIU).
PO. 1. Program Officer. 2. Permanent Office.
POA. Plan of Action.
Polytechnic Institute. Post-secondary, non-tertiary
vocational institution offering courses in many
fields.
POM. Project Operation Manual. (See also OM).
PoP. Pencils of Promise. (NGO, USA).
Post-Colonial Period. Historical Note: Period
between the end of the French Colonial Period and
the Revolution December 2, 1975. Different
writers refer to different periods: 1945-1975, 1949-
1975, or 1954-1975. (See French Colonial Period
for timeline. See also Semi-Royalist Period).
Power International. (NGO, UK).
PP. 1. Preparation Plan. 2. See NP / P / PP.
PPA. 1. Primary Pedagogical Advisor. (See also PA,
SPA). 2. Pupil-Parent Association. 3. Project
Preparation Advance. 4. Participatory Poverty
Assessment.
PPAR. Project Performance Audit Report. (ADB;
compare with TPAR).
PPD. Primary and Preschool Education Department.
(See DPPE).
PPE. 1. Provincial Project Engineer (EQIP II).
2. Pre-primary Education.
PPF. Project Preparation Facility (WB).
PPID. Provincial Planning and Investment
Department.
PPIU. Provincial Project Implementation Unit.
PPM. Policy Planning Matrix. (E.g., in ESDP).
PPP. 1. Purchasing Power Parity (also “ppp”).
2. Program, Policy, and Procedure. 3. Public-
Private Partnership.
PPPD. Public-Private Partnership Dialogue.
PPR. Project Performance Report (ADB).
PPS. Provincial Planning Service.
PPTA. Project Preparation Technical Assistance.
PR [by grade]. Promotion Rate [by grade].
PRA. Participatory Rural Appraisal.
Pratom. See Pathom.
Practicum. (TVET). Course in which theory is put
into practice in an actual workplace, e.g., in an
enterprise. (Compare with OJT).
PRC. 1. Provincial Rehabilitation Center.
2. People’s Republic of China.
Pre-ADS. Pre-Australian Development Scholarship.
PREI. Procurement Review for Effective Implemen-
tation. (ADB).
Pre-primary. Special pre-school classes to prepare
5-year-old children for Grade 1, particularly target-
ing non-Lao ethnic groups, girls, and children from
the poorest families who have not attended
kindergarten. (Also Grade 0; see Annex Figure 1
and Figure 3).
Pre-school. Services commonly for children aged
2 - 5 years, sometimes from 3 months. Comprises
crèche and kindergarten. (Compare with ECCD;
see Annex Figure 1 and Figure 3).
PRESET. Pre-service education and training. (See
also INSET and UPSET).
PRF. Poverty Reduction Fund.
PRGF. Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
(WB).
Primary Completion Rate. (Note: UIS does not
define a Primary Completion Rate. See Cohort
Completion Rate.)
Primary school. Grades 1 - 5. (See also Pathom;
Appendix Figure 1).
PrMO. Procurement Monitoring Office. (MOF).
PROAP. Principal Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok).
ProCEEd. Promotion of Climate-related Environ-
mental Education. (Under MONRE, GIZ).
PRODOC. 1. Project Document. 2. Program
Document.
Promotion Rate [by grade]. (PR). UIS Definition:
Proportion of students from a cohort enrolled in a
given grade in a given school year who study in
the next grade in the following school year.
(Compare with SR, TR).
Proviseur. [History]. French: [School] Principal,
Director.
PRSC. Poverty Reduction Support Credit. (WB).
PRSO. Poverty Reduction Support Operation.
(Multi-sector budget support program led by WB
and with the participation of EC and others,
starting in 2007). (See also GBS, SBS).
PRSP. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. (WB).
(See also IPRSP, renamed NPEP by GOL, later
renamed NGPES).
PSC. 1. Project Steering Committee. 2. Population
Study Center. (NUOL).
PSE. Post-secondary education.
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41
PSERP. [History]. Post-secondary Education
Rationalization Project. (Also PERP. 1995-2003.
External financing by ADB. Led to the
establishment of NUOL).
PSI. 1. Population Services International. (INGO).
2. [History]. Primary School Inspector.
PSIA. Poverty and Social Impact Analysis. (WB).
PSL. Phongsaly Province.
PSM. 1. Prospective School Map. 2. Provincial
Simulation Model.
PSQS. Primary School Quality Standards. (Based
on SOQ and replaced SOQ). (Compare with
SSQS).
Note: The PSQS instrument comprise 42 items
relating to the student, teaching and learning
methods, the school environment, management and
administration, and community participation, but it
does not include evidence about student learning
outcomes.
PSS. Pedagogical Support System.
PSSCM. Primary-Secondary School Cluster Model.
PSSP. Primary School Sanitation Program
(UNICEF).
PSSZ. Primary School Service Zone. (Created under
EQIP II, mechanism for managing student flow
within a region).
PSTE. Pre-school Teacher Education.
PSTTD. Pre-service Teacher Training Division. (In
DTE; compare with ISTTD).
PSU. Project Support Unit. (MOES, later subsumed
by DPC).
PTC. 1. Polytechnic College. 2. Propaganda &
Training Committee [of Central Committee].
PTCA. Parent-Teacher Community Association.
PTE. Primary Teacher Education.
PTI. Private Training Institution.
PTR. Pupil/Teacher Ratio.
PTS. Pakpasak Technical School. (Vientiane).
PTTC. Pakse Teacher Training College.
PUCA. Provincial Unit for Construction Assistance.
PUCDA. Provincial Unit for Construction and
Development Assistance. (See also DUCDA).
PUV. [History]. Pedagogical University, Vientiane.
(Also known as Institut Universitaire Pédagogie,
École Supérieure de Pédagogie, Vientiane Higher
Pedagogical Institute, Vientiane Teacher Training
College, College of Education, Vientiane Teacher
Training School, National School of Pedagogy,
National Institute of Pedagogy [Vientiane], and
Vientiane Pedagogical University). (See also IUP;
ESP; HIPV; NEC definition 2; NIPV; VPU.
Merged into NUOL in 1996).
PWD. Person(s) with disability (disabilities); People
with disabilities. (See also CWD).
PWG. Project Working Group.
PWMS. Pooled Weighted Mean Score.
Q
QA. Quality Assurance.
QAC. [Formerly]. Quality Assurance Center. (See
ESQAC).
QAG. Quality Assurance Group. (WB).
QAS. Quality Assurance System.
QBS. Quality-based Selection. (ADB, WB).
(Compare with QCBS).
QCBS. Quality- and Cost-based Selection. (ADB,
WB). (Compare with QBS).
QEEG. Quality [Basic] Education, Especially Girls
[Project]. (Supported by UNICEF).
QER. Quality Enhancement Review. (WB).
QES. Quality Education Standard. (See also SOQ,
PSQS).
QIP. Quality Improvement Plan.
QITEP. Quality Improvement of Teachers and
Education Personnel. (SEAMEO).
QMS. Quality management system.
QOP. [Historical]. Quotation of Price.
QPR. Quarterly Progress Report.
QSA. Quality of Supervision Assessment. (WB).
QSL. Quaker Service Laos. (NGO, USA). Program
of AFSC.
Qualified teacher. A teacher with current formal
teacher education qualifications for the level of
schooling at which he/she is teaching. (See Under-
qualified teacher; Unqualified teacher; Certified
teacher).
Quartile. See Quintile, definition 1, Note.
Quintile. 1. Each of 5 numerically equal groups into
which a population can be divided according to the
values of a particular variable. E.g. With test
scores, the 1st quintile would include the lowest 20
% of scores, and the 5th quintile would include the
highest 20 % of scores. Note that some writers
invert the scale, referring to top 20 % as the “1st
quintile”. Related terms include Quartile (4
groups), Decile (10 groups), etc. (Continued)
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42
2. The cut-off value separating the groups; e.g., the
2nd quintile would be the score below which 2/5 of
the scores fall.
Quota teacher. A teacher employed as civil servant,
based on a “government quota” or long term salary
commitment established by the National Assembly
and the Ministry of Finance, and whose salary is
set by the Civil Service Commission. (See also
Contract teacher; Village teacher; Volunteer
teacher).
Note 1: The concept of Quota teacher should not
be confused with the concept of Qualified teacher,
since there exist quota teachers who are Under-
qualified or even Unqualified.
Note 2: In 2011/12 budget year the quota system
was abolished, and the needs were to be met from
the local level, based on direction from the district
and provincial development plans. In 2013/14,
however, a severe budget deficit compelled the
restoration of the quota system.
R
R&D. Research and Development.
Rank. (Of teachers). Title officially awarded on the
basis of merit in teaching and associated with
salary supplements:
Lao term Rank English term .
Xiosane Avouso 1st Senior Specialist;
Xiosane 2nd Specialist;
Samnanekane 3rd Skilled;
Pasopkane 4th Experienced. .
(Compare with Honorific Title).
Note: These categories are defined in the
Education Law of 2007.
RAS. Rapid Assessment Survey.
RBA. Rights-based Approach. (Compare with DDA,
HRBA).
RBAC. Rattana Business Administration College.
Vientiane.
RBM. Results-based management.
RCP. Regional Cooperation Platform. (Network of
universities involved in VTE in the ASEAN region
and China).
RDC. Research Development Committee. (NUOL).
RDMA. Regional Development Mission for Asia.
(Bangkok. USAID regional implementation
office).
RE. Recipient Executed. (WB).
RECSAM. Regional Center for Education in Science
and Mathematics. (SEAMEO, in Penang,
Malaysia).
Redd barna. Norwegian: Save the Children –
Norway. (See SC definition 1; SCF/N; SCN).
REF. Recurrent Education Fund. (Formerly SBG).
RELC. Regional Language Center (SEAMEO,
Singapore).
Repetition Rate (RR) [by grade]. UIS Definition:
Proportion of students from a cohort enrolled in a
given grade at a given school year who study in
the same grade in the following school year.
Results-based Sector Performance Monitoring and
Evaluation System. See RMES.
RETA. Regional Technical Assistance.
RETRAC. [SEAMEO] Regional Training Center.
(In Ho Chih Minh City).
Revision. The process of review or study, as for an
examination. (Chiefly British).
Revision notes. Study notes. (See Revision).
RICE. Returns Invested in Children and Education.
(ICO, Singapore).
RIES. Research Institute for Educational Sciences.
(MOES; see also NRIES).
RIHED. Regional Center for Higher Education and
Development (SEAMEO, in Bangkok).
(Sometimes incorrectly referred to as “Regional
Center for Higher Education Development”, i.e.,
missing the “and”).
RIP. Remote In-service Program.
RLG. [History]. Royal Lao Government. Replaced
by the Government of the Lao PDR December
1975.
RMA. Revenue Management Arrangements.
RMES. Results-Based [Sector Performance]
Monitoring and Evaluation System.
RMIT. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
RNI. Rate of Natural Increase [of the population].
ROK. Republic of Korea. (South Korea. Compare
with DPRK).
RPL. Recognition of Prior Learning. (See also
APEL; APL definition 2).
RPP. Reading Promotion Project.
RQ. Required qualification. (See also ARQ; BRQ).
RQA. Registry of Qualified Applicants.
RQF. Regional Qualification[s] Framework.
(ASEAN). (Compare with NQF).
RR. Repetition Rate [by grade].
RRP. Report and Recommendation of the President
[to the Board of Directors]. (ADB).
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RTC. Regional Training Council. (Compare with
NTC).
RTF. Round Table Forum. (See also RTM).
RTIM. Round Table Implementation Meeting.
(Annual. See also RTM).
RTM. Round Table Meeting [of Government and
Development Partners]. (Every 4th year. See also
RTIM).
RTP. Round Table Process. (See also RTIM; RTM).
RtR. Room to Read [Laos]. (NGO, international).
RTTC. [History]. Rural Teacher Training College.
RVA. Recognition, validation, and accreditation.
RVT. Rural vocational training.
S
S&T. Science and Technology.
SA. 1. Special Account. 2. Social Assessment.
SAA. [Historical]. State Audit Authority.
SABER. 1. Systems Approach for Better Education
Results. 2. Systems Approach and Benchmarking
for Education Results.
Note: Even in official World Bank documents and
websites, these two different names appear.
SAC. Structural Adjustment Credit.
SAGP. School Access Grants Program. (Under
SESDP). (See also EDGP; SSSP).
Sala. Lao: An open place of shelter, rest, meditation,
and ceremonies, often associated with a Buddhist
temple (wat).
Salary supplement. See Location Supplement;
Multi-grade Teaching Supplement.
SALT [Volunteer]. Serving and Learning Together.
(Volunteer program of the MCC).
Sam Neua Province. [History]. Under the RLG
administration, the northeastern province, border-
ing on Vietnam, with capital city Sam Neua.
Under Pathet Lao administration, the capital city
was Viang Xai. After the Revolution, renamed
Huaphanh Province, with capital city Sam Neua.
(See also Wapikhamthong Province).
Sam sang. Lao: [literally] “Three Builds”. Capacity
development policy as introduced by the 9th Party
Congress (March 2011) and expressed in the 7th
NSEDP. (See also Boukthalu).
Samnanekane Teacher. Lao: Highly Experienced
Teacher. [Title, 3rd Rank]. (See also Pasopkane
Teacher; Xiosane Teacher; Xiosane Avouso
Teacher).
San kang. (Also Sankang). Lao: Upper certificate
level vocational and technical program (3-year
program after completion of lower secondary
schooling). (Compare with San sung, San ton).
San sung. (Also Sansung). Lao: Higher diploma or
degree level technical and professional program
(typically 4-year program at polytechnic institute
or university after completion of upper secondary
schooling). (Compare with San kang, San ton).
San ton. (Also Santon, Santong). 1. Lao: Lower
certificate level vocational program; 1- or 2-year
vocational program after completion of lower
secondary schooling; can also be operated in
vocational centers, upper secondary general and
TVET schools, TVET colleges, and enterprises).
2. [Formerly]. 3-year program after completion of
primary schooling, now phased out. (Compare
with San kang, San sung).
Sangha College, Champasak. Buddhist higher
education institution.
Historical Note: The Pariyatti Dhamma School
was established in 1940 in Wat Luang Pakse. In
1942 a Pali School is established in the same
monastery. In 1944, the Institute Indigène
D’études Bouddhiques was established there, and
after Independence, the Paḷi Schools and the
Institute of Buddhist Studies were renamed
Buddhist High Schools. In 2005 Champasak
Sangha College was established.
Sangha College, Vientiane. Buddhist higher
education institution. Also National Monastic
College.
Historical Note: Pariyatti Dhamma School was
established 1929 in Vientiane; renamed the Pali
Institute in 1953; renamed Buddhist Educational
Institute in 1967; renamed the Sangha College in
1996.
Sangha. Lao: [In Theravada Buddhism] The com-
munity of (at least partially) enlightened people,
often referring to the community of monks and
nuns.
Sangkharat. Lao: [In Theravada Buddhism] Abbot
of the Lao Buddhist Sangha. (See also Phra
Sangkharat).
SAO. State Audit Organization.
SAR. 1. [School] Self-Assessment Report. 2. Staff
Appraisal Report. (WB). 3. [Of China] Special
Administrative Region. (Hong Kong and Macau).
SAT. Sida Advisory Team (for TTEST).
Satellite school. An incomplete primary school
organized into a school cluster. (See Annex Figure
4). (Compare with Core school).
Save. See SC. [E.g. “She works for one of the Saves
– maybe Save Australia.”]
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SBD. Standard Bidding Document.
SBG. [Formerly]. School Block Grant. (Also BG.
Now see REF).
SBM. School-based management.
SBS. Sector Budget Support. (Compare with GBS;
see also PRSO).
SBSD. Support for Better Service Delivery. (Under
GPAR).
SBT. School-based training. Compare with DCT.
SC. 1. Save the Children (Australia, Norway (Redd
barna), UK). (INGO). 2. Steering Committee.
SC UK. Save the Children [Federation] – UK.
(NGO, UK). Also SCF/UK, SCUK.
SCA. Save the Children [Federation] – Australia.
(NGO, Australia). Also SCF/A.
SCEP. Steering Committee on Educational Projects.
SCF. Save the Children Federation.
SCF/A. Save the Children [Federation] – Australia.
(NGO, Australia). Also SCA. (Also called “Save
Australia”).
SCF/N. Save the Children [Federation] – Norway.
(NGO, Norway). (See also Redd barna). (Also
called “Save Norway”).
SCF/UK. Save the Children [Federation] – UK.
(NGO, UK). Also SC-UK; SCUK. (Also called
“Save UK”).
School Assembly. Committee comprising the school
principal and teachers or teacher representatives
(depending on the size and organization of the
school) responsible for school management
decisions. (Also called School Management
Committee).
School-based training. [According to TVET Law,
December 2013] TVET training based mainly in
schools with occasional practice in real-world
production unit in accordance with the curriculum.
(Compare with Dual cooperative training).
School cluster. 1. Primary school cluster. A group
of primary schools, usually including at least one
complete primary school (core school) and one or
more incomplete schools (satellite schools), organ-
ized to provide pedagogical support and collec-
tively complete primary schooling. (See Annex
Figure 4). (See also Complete school; Groupe
scolaire; Muad; School network). 2. Primary-sec-
ondary school cluster. A group of primary and
secondary schools, where the primary schools
serve as feeders into the lower secondary schools,
which in turn serve as feeders into the upper
secondary schools.
School Management Committee. Committee
comprising the school principal and teachers or
teacher representatives (depending on the size and
organization of the school) responsible for school
management decisions. (Also called School
Assembly).
School network. 1. The collection of all schools of a
given category in a given administrative unit, such
as the set of all primary schools in a given prov-
ince or district, often used in connection with plan-
ning for rational use of school resources with
respect to demographic distributions. 2. School
cluster.
SCI. Save the Children International.
SCN. Save the Children Norway. (See also Redd
barna).
Scouts. See Young Pioneers.
SCP. Skills Contracting Program. (Under STVET).
SCS. [Formerly]. School Construction Services.
(MOES; renamed ECDM).
SCSP. [GMS] Sub-regional Cooperation Strategy
and Program.
SCUK. Save the Children UK.
SD. 1. Service delivery. 2. Skill development.
3. School Director. 4. Social development.
5. Standard Deviation.
SDC. 1. Skill Development Committee. (In
NCTS). 2. Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation.
SDGs[s]. Sustainable Development Goal[s].
(Compare with MDG. See also ESD).
SDIE. Social Development and Inclusive Education.
SDP. 1. Sector Development Program. (Focusing on
the aims and objectives of sector development).
(See ESDP; see also SIP). 2. Sector Development
Program. (Lending product, ADB). 3. Social
Development Plan. 4. School Development Plan.
SDR. Special Drawing Rights. (WB).
SDS. Sector Development Strategy.
SE. Supervision Entity.
SEA. 1. Southeast Asia. 2. Senior Education
Advisor.
SEA Games. Biennial sports event involving 11
countries of Southeast Asia, most notably hosted
by Laos in 2009.
SEAMEC. Southeast Asian Ministers of Education
Council. (See also SEAMEO; SEAMOLEC;
SEAVERN).
SEAMEO VOCTECH. SEAMEO Regional Center
for Vocational and Technical Education. (In
Brunei).
SEAMEO. Southeast Asian Ministers of Education
Organization. (Secretariat in Bangkok). (See also
ASCOE; SEAMEC; SEAMOLEC; SEAVERN).
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45
SEAMOLEC. SEAMEO Regional Open Learning
Center. (See also SEAMEC; SEAVERN).
SEAP. Secondary Education Action Plan.
SEARCA. Southeast Asian Regional Center for
Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture.
(SEAMEO).
SEA-SPF. South East Asia School Principal Forum.
SEASREP. Southeast Asian Studies Regional
Exchange Program.
SEAVERN. Southeast Asian Vocational Education
Research Network. (SEAMEO. See also
SEAMEC; SEAMOLEC).
SECAL. Sector Adjustment Loan. (WB).
SEDP. 1. Second Education Development Project.
(WB, commonly referred to as EDP II). 2. Socio-
Economic Development Plan. (See NSEDP).
SEED-Net. Southeast Asia Engineering Education
Development Network. (See AUN/SEED-Net).
SEK. 1. Sekong Province. (Also SKN). 2. Swedish:
Swedish Crown.
Semi-examination. 1. Mid-term examination.
2. Partial examination, possibly take-home, open-
book, or oral examination prior to the final
examination.
Semi-Royalist Period. Period between the end of the
French Colonial Period and the Revolution
December 2, 1975, during which time the PL was
gaining control of a gradually increasing propor-
tion of the country and the RLG or the PGNU were
in control of the diminishing remainder. Hence
only semi-royalist.
Senior high school. See Upper secondary school.
Senior primary school. See Upper primary school.
SEQS. Secondary Education Quality Standards.
Serve 2U. (Non-profit charity, Hong Kong).
SES. Secondary education subsector.
SESDP. Secondary Education Sector Development
Program. (External financing by ADB).
(Formerly BESDP II).
Sex Ratio. See Gender Ratio.
SEZ. 1. Special Economic Zone. 2. Specific
Economic Zone. (See also SSEZ).
SFp[P]. School Feeding [Program]. (See also SMP).
SFS. School of Foundation Studies. (NUOL).
SG. School Grant.
SHEP. Strengthening Higher Education Project.
(External financing by ADB).
SHG. Self-help group.
SHIA. Swedish: Svenska Handikapporganisationers
Internationella Biståndsförening. [Swedish
Organizations of Disabled Persons International
Aid Association – Solidarity, Humanity, Inter-
national Aid].
Shifting classes. Classes operating on two shifts (e.g,
morning shift for grades 1-3, afternoon shift for
grades 4-5), as a cost-effective approach to
providing complete primary schooling in sparsely
populated areas. (Compare with Multi-grade
school).
SHN. School Health & Nutrition.
SIAA. State Inspection and Anti-Corruption
Authority.
SIBS. Sengdara International Bilingual School.
(Private, Vientiane).
Sida. Swedish International Development Coopera-
tion Agency. (Formerly Swedish International
Development Authority).
SIE. Stockholm Institute of Education (Lärarhög-
skolan i Stockholm, Sweden).
SIF. Singapore International Foundation. (NGO).
SIG. 1. School Improvement Grant. 2. Special
Interest Group.
SIL. 1. Summer Institute of Linguistics. 2. Specific
Investment Loan. (WB).
Silapa School. Lao: National School of Dance and
Music. (Under MOICT; Compare with Natasin
School).
SIP. 1. Sector Investment Program. (Focusing on the
investment aspects of sector development). (See
also SDP). 2. School Improvement Program.
3. School Improvement Plan.
SIREP. SEAMEO INNOTECH Regional Education
Program.
Sisavangvong University. [History]. University in
Vientiane established in 1958 under the Royal Lao
Government, named for King Sisavangvong,
supported by USAID, located at Dong Dok north
of Vientiane. Comprised École Supérieure de
Pédagogie, École Royale de Médecine, and Institut
de Droit et d’Administration. Dissolved following
major exodus of teaching staff (mostly French and
American) after 1975, emerging in 1996 as NUOL.
SISD. Statistics and Information Systems Division.
(See SITD).
SITD. Statistics and Information Technology
Division. (To be established in DPC under EDP
II; also SISD; see ESIT).
Six Principles of Education. From Education Law
of 2007/08, Article 5: “Education Principles”.
(Not to be confused with the Five Domains of
Education, also called the Five Principles of
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46
Education or the Six Principles of Education
Reform):
1. Education shall be conducted in accordance
with socialist directives; it shall reflect national,
mass, scientific, and progressive aspects;
2. General education shall relate to vocational
education;
3. Education in school shall be in close relation
with education in family, in society, and out of
school;
4. Education shall combine theory with practice,
learning shall go along with experimentations,
and education shall be in close relation with the
world of work;
5. Education shall meet the socio-economic
development needs of each period; and
6. National education shall be relevant to regional
and international education.
Six Principles of Education Reform. The six
directives on which the NESRS is based (not to be
confused with the Six Principles of Education):
1. Aim to develop human resources applicable to
the strategic development of the country’s
economy and international goals;
2. Emphasize the national education structure, so
that attitudes and perceptions in society about
the educational structural reforms are widely
understood;
3. Implement with the participation of society to
ensure that education will continue to grow and
develop;
4. Expand intellectual life, preserve the traditions
and culture of the nation, and inspire a spirit of
solidarity among the population throughout the
country;
5. Expand access to education, promote
capabilities of people, improve their living
conditions, and link with regional and inter-
national situations; and
6. Enhance the status of teacher’s roles and
positions.
SKL. Schools for Kids in Laos. (NGO, Canada).
SKN. Sekong Province. (Also SEK, definition 1).
SKT. Savannakhet Province. (Also SVK)
SKU. Savannakhet University. (Founded 2009; see
Annex Table 2).
SM. School mapping.
SMAP. School mapping.
SMATT. Science and Mathematics Teacher Training
Project. (Supported by JICA).
SMCS. Social Marketing and Communication
Strategy.
SME. Small and Medium Enterprise.
SMEPDC. SME Promotion and Development
Committee.
SMEPDO. SME Promotion and Development
Office. (Under MOIC, definition 1; established
2004).
SMK. Subject Matter Knowledge.
SMP. School Meals Program. (See also NSMP,
SFP).
S-NCSEZ. Also SNCSEZ. Secretariat to National
Committee for Special Economic Zone. (See also
NCSEZ, SEZ, SSEZ).
SNM. School network mapping.
SNV. Dutch: Stichting Nederlandse Vrijwilligers.
[Netherlands Development Organization]. (NGO,
Netherlands).
SO. Strategic Objective. (Compare with ST).
SOE. 1. State owned enterprise. (See also SRE).
2. Statement of Expenditure.
SOLO. Structure of Observed Learning Outcome. A
taxonomy of levels of increasing complexity in
student’s understanding of subjects:
Pre-structural (Task not attacked appropriately;
student hasn’t really understood the point and
uses too simple an approach);
Uni-structural (Student’s response focuses on
only one relevant aspect);
Multi-structural (Student’s response focuses on
several relevant aspects treated independently
and additively, and assessment is primarily
quantitative);
Relational (Different aspects are integrated into
a coherent whole); and
Extended abstract (Previous integrated whole
can be conceptualized at a higher level of
abstraction and generalized to new topic or
area).
Note: Proposed by J. B. Biggs and K. F. Collis.
(Coontrast with Bloom’s Taxonomy).
Somdet Phra Loukeo. Supreme Patriarch of the Lao
Sangha.
SOMED. Senior Officials Meeting on Education.
(ASEAN; compare with ASED).
SOMS. [ASEAN] Senior Official Meeting on Sports.
SOP. 1. Standard Operating Procedures. 2. Sector
Operational [Rolling] Plan.
SOQ. School of Quality. (See also QES, PSQS,
SSQS).
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47
SOS. 1. Save our Soul. (INGO providing orphan-
ages and boarding schools). 2. Source of supply.
(Procurement).
Southern Region. Saravane, Sekong, Champasak,
Attapeu. (See also Northern Region; Central
Region; Special Region).
SOV. Source of Verification. (Used especially in
LFA; see also OVI).
SP. Strategy Paper. (EC).
SPA. 1. Secondary Pedagogical Advisor. (See also
PA, PPA). 2. Student-Parent Association.
3. [History]. Supreme People’s Assembly.
(Renamed “National Assembly” with the
ratification of the Constitution, 1991).
SPC. State Planning Committee. (Under PMO,
replaced by CPC, later by CPI).
SPD. [Formerly]. Statistics and Planning Division
(In DPC; now see ESIT[C]).
Special course. [Higher education]. Fee payment
course.
Note: Special course are offered to fee paying
students, typically outside regular teaching hours.
Many students attending special courses are
sponsored by their employers and usually receive a
salary increase upon completion.
Special Region. [History]. Xaysomboon Special
Region. (The districts of the Region were
transferred in 2006 to Xiengkhuang and Vientiane
Provinces; restored as Xaysomboon Province in
December 2013).
SPMT. School Project Management Team. (See
EDP II).
SPPE. Strategy for Promoting Private Education
(2010-2020).
SPRSS. Summary Poverty Reduction and Social
Strategy. (ADB).
SPS. Safeguard Policy Statement.
SPSS. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.
SPU. [Formerly]. Statistics and Planning Unit (In
DPC; now see ESIT[C]).
SQAC. [Formerly]. School Quality Assurance
Center. (See ESQAC).
SR. 1. Survival Rate [by grade]. 2. Special Region.
(See also Northern Region; Central Region;
Southern Region)
SRC. 1. School Readiness Competency. 2. Sector
Reform Contract (EU).
SRE. State Run Enterprise. (See also SOE).
SREAC. Strategy Research and Educational
Analysis Center. (Formerly PAD; SREAD).
(MOES, see Annex Figure 7).
SREAD. [Formerly]. Strategy Research and
Education Analysis Division (of DPC). (Formerly
PAD; renamed SREAC).
SRF. Statistics for Results Facility. (WB; see also
MfDR).
SRP. School Readiness Program. (See also
CBSRP).
SRV. Saravane Province.
SSA. School Self-Assessment.
SSC. [Formerly]. State Statistics Center. (Became
NSC, now DOS).
SSCP. Special Skill Contracting Program.
SSCTT. Skills Standard, Curricula, and Teacher
Training. (STVET Project).
SSEZ. Special and Specific Economic Zones. (See
also SEZ).
SSL. School Support Laos. (NGO, Norway).
SSME. Snapshot of School Management Effective-
ness.
SSQS. Secondary School Quality Standards.
(Compare with PSQS).
Note: The SSQS instrument comprise 45 items
relating to the student, teaching and learning
methods, the school environment, management and
administration, and community participation, but it
does not include evidence about student learning
outcomes.
SSSP. Secondary Student Stipend Program. (Under
SESDP; see also SAGP).
ST. Strategic Thrust. (Compare with SO).
Stagiaire. [History]. French: Intern, student teacher.
STCN. See SCN.
STD. 1. Standard Deviation. 2. Sexually Trans-
mitted Disease. (See also STI).
STEA. [Formerly]. Science, Technology, and
Environment Agency. (Originally under the PMO,
in 2010 restructured and absorbed into MOST).
STEIC. Statistic and Technology Education
Information Center.
STEP. 1. Skills Toward Employment and
Productivity. (WB). 2. Secondary Teacher
Education Program.
STF. Special Task Force.
STI. Sexually Transmitted Infection / Illness. (See
also STD).
STP. Short-term Priority. (Compare with LTP,
MTP).
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STU. Santapol College, Udon Thani, Thailand.
STVETp[P]. Strengthening Technical and Vocational
Education and Training [Project]. (External
financing by ADB).
STW. School-to-work.
SU. 1. Souphanouvong University. (Luang Prabang,
founded 2003; see Annex Table 2).
2. [History]. Sisavangvong University.
(Vientiane).
Sub-district. In remote areas, unofficial administra-
tive organization of some ten villages, below the
District. (Compare with Khumban. See
Commune.)
Sub-SWG. See SWG; Focal Group.
SUL. Soochow University, Laos. (Overseas branch campus of Soochow University,
Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, PRC; not to be confused
with Soochow University, Taipei City, Taiwan).
Supplement. See Salary supplement.
SURAFCO. Support to the Reform of the Northern
Agriculture and Forestry College. [Project].
(External financing by SDC).
Surveillant. [History]. French: Supervisor (e.g., of
student teachers), Director of Studies.
Survival Rate [by grade]. (SR). UIS Definition:
Percentage of a cohort of students enrolled in the
1st grade of a given cycle of education in a given
school year who are expected to reach successive
grades. Note that a distinction is sometimes made
between Survival Rate with repetition and Survival
Rate without repetition. (Compare with Cohort
Completion Rate; Gross Graduation Ratio; PR;
TR).
SUSI. Study of US Institutes [Program]. (US State
Department).
Sutta [Pitaka]. Pali: [literally “Basket”, hence
collection of] Buddhist writings or teachings; the
scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. (See also
Tipitaka).
SVA. Shanti [Sanskrit: “Peace”] [Japanese Buddhist]
[International] Volunteer Association. (See
JSRC).
SVK. Savannakhet Province. (Also SKT).
SWAp. Sector Wide Approach [to Development
Programming]. (Also SWAP).
SWG. Sector Working Group. (See ESWG).
SY. School year. (Compare with AY, CY, FY).
T
T/C. Teachers per class. Note: UIS does not define
this statistic.
TA. Technical Assistance.
TACR. Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report.
(ADB).
TAG. Technical Advisory Group.
TALK. Teaching and Learning Kits. (RIES; BEGP).
TAPs. Technical and Advisory Provisions. (EU).
TASF. Technical Assistance Special Fund. (ADB).
Tasseng. Lao: [History]. 1. Administrative unit
between village and district; sub-district. (See
Muang, Khumban). 2. Head of this unit.
(Compare with Naiban).
TAT. 1. Textbook Assessment Team. 2. Technical
Assistance Team.
TATF. Technical Assistance and Training Facility.
ASEAN-U.S.
TAVP. Training Assistance Voucher Program.
(Initiated under STVET). (See also TAVS).
TAVS. Training Assistance Voucher Scheme.
(Initiated under STVET). (See also TAVP).
TB. Textbook.
TBA. Traditional Birth Attendant.
TBC. To be confirmed.
TBD. To be determined; To be decided. (Compare
with TBE)
TBE. To be established. (Compare with TBD).
TC. Technical college. (Compare with TS).
TCOL. Technical Cooperation Office for the EC
Cooperation Program in Lao PDR.
TCR. Technical [Assistance] Completion Report.
(ADB). (Compare with PCR).
TCTP. Third Country Training Program.
TDC. Teacher Development Center (NUOL/FOE,
renamed 2001 as TEADC, renamed 2004 as
DEAM).
TDMPF. Teacher Development and Management
Policy Framework.
TDO. Teacher Development Office (at TEIs).
TDS. Teacher Development Services (at PESs).
TDU. Teacher Development Units (at DEBs).
TE. Teacher education.
TEAB. See NTEAB.
TEADC. Teacher and Education Administrator
Development Center (NUOL/FOE, formerly TDC,
renamed 2004 as DEAM).
TEAR. Transformation, Empowerment, Advocacy,
Relief. (INGO, Christian international aid and
development agency).
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Technician Diploma. Diploma awarded on comple-
tion of a TVET 12+2 year program. Compare with
Vocational Diploma.
TEE. Total education expenditure.
TEEC. Teacher Education Evaluation and
Coordination. (See TEECD).
TEECD. [Formerly]. Teacher Education Evaluation
and Coordination Division. (See TEED).
TEED. Teacher Education Evaluation Division
(DTE / MOES).
TEI. Teacher Education Institution. (Formerly TTC,
TTS; TTI).
Note: Although “teacher education institution”
represents more progressive terminology, “teacher
training college” is still widely used in the official
names of teacher education institutions.
TEIAB. Teacher Education Institution Advisory
Board.
TEMIS. Teacher Education Management Informa-
tion System. (Compare with TMIS).
Temple school. Primary school situated in the
temple compound, following the secular state
curriculum, and often taught by monks qualified
through secular teacher education. Some primary
school age boys also receive religious instruction
outside regular school hours. (Also Wat school;
compare with Pali school).
Temple. See Wat.
Temporary teacher. A teacher (regardless of
qualifications) permanently assigned to one school
but temporarily assigned to a different school.
(Compare with Permanent teacher; not to be
confused with Contract teacher).
TES. Teacher Education Strategy [2006-2015].
TESAP. Teacher Education Strategy 2006-2015 and
Action Plan 2006-2010.
TESOL. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages.
TEVT. Technical education and vocational training.
(See also TVED; VTET; the more commonly used
term internationally is TVET).
TF. 1. Task Force. 2. Trust fund.
TFR. Total Fertility Rate [per woman].
TG. Teachers’ Guide.
Tham script. Script used to read and write palm leaf
manuscripts and other Pali texts.
Thematic Focal Group. See Focal Group.
Theravada. Pali: “Doctrine of the Elders”. The
Buddhist tradition of Laos. Also referred to as
Southern Buddhism or Pali Buddhism.
Three Builds. Slogan embodying directives from the
9th Party Congress (March 17-21, 2011). Lao: Sam
sang:
Build the provinces as strategic units;
Build the capacity of the districts in all regards;
and
Build the villages into implementation units, in
some cases through merging villages into
clusters (khumban).
Note: The Lao word sang has a range of meanings.
It can mean “build” in a literal sense, as in “build a
house”; it mean “strengthen”, as in “build up your
muscles”; it can mean “develop”, as in “capacity
building”; or it can mean “construction”, as in Lao
Front for National Construction, LFNC. (See Note
to LFNC. See also Four Breakthroughs).
Three Characteristics of Education. (Lao: 3
Laksana):
Nation oriented (i.e., for national unity);
Mass education (i.e., for equity);
Scientific and modern.
Note: Often cited in connection with the Five
Domains of Education or Five Principles of
Education.
Three Pillars of Education Sector Development.
Pillar 1: Access with Equity; Pillar 2: Quality and
Relevance; Pillar 3: Management and Efficiency.
(Not to be confused with the Four Pillars of
Education).
Note: The Three Pillars, referenced in virtually all
official education sector development documents,
began with “The Education Strategic Vision”, pub-
lished by MOE in October 2000. It was a cross-
cutting alternative to a sub-sectoral approach to
sector development. It appeared as three program
“pillars” (Access, Quality, and Relevance) resting
on a base (Planning and Management). With the
publication of “Education Strategic Planning” in
August 2001, the Quality and Relevance pillars
had been merged into one, and the 3rd pillar was
Administration and Management. The 3rd pillar
has since become “Management and Efficiency” or
sometimes “Planning and Management”. Other
variants have also appeared from time to time.
Three Revolutions. [History]. “Theory of the Three
Revolutions”:
Revolution in relations of production;
Revolution in science and technology; and
Revolution in ideology and culture.
TICA. Thailand International Development
Cooperation Agency.
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TICW. Trafficking in Children and Women. (ILO;
see also IPEC).
Tipitaka. Pali: Literally “three baskets” or collections
of teachings.
TISUP. Teacher in-service upgrading program. (See
also UPSET).
TL. Team Leader.
TLC. Teaching and Learning Center.
TLQ. Teaching and Learning Quality.
TMIS. Teacher Management Information System.
(Compare with TEMIS).
TNA. 1. Training needs analysis[/assessment].
2. Teacher needs analysis[/assessment].
TOC. Theory of Change.
TOEFL. ® Test of English as a Foreign Language.
(Developed by ETS). Administered in three
forms:
TOEFL CBT ® Computer-based Test;
TOEFL iBT ® Internet-based Test; and
TOEFL PBT ® Paper-based Test.
TOEIC. ® Test of English for International
Communication. (Developed by ETS).
TOR. Terms of Reference.
TOT. Training of Trainers.
TPAR. Technical Assistance Performance Audit
Report. (ADB; compare with PPAR).
TPDN. Teacher Profession Development Network.
TPME. Teacher Performance Monitoring and
Evaluation. (See also TQPM).
TPN. Teacher Professional Network.
TPR. 1. Total Physical Response [approach to
second language teaching]. 2. Teacher/Pupil
Ratio. Note that the inverse, PTR, is more
commonly used and is the ratio defined by UIS).
TPWG. Teacher Policy Working Group (EQIP II).
TQP. Teacher Quality and Performance.
TQPM. Teacher Quality and Performance
Monitoring.
TR. Transition Rate.
Transition Curriculum. Specific curriculum which
continues from a lower level to a higher level of
education or training to facilitate transitioning
between streams or programs by giving credit for
prior learning. (Compare with Continuous
Curriculum).
Transition Rate. (TR). UIS Definition: The
number of new entrants into the 1st grade of a
higher level of education in a given year Y,
expressed as a percentage of the number of
students enrolled in the final grade of the lower
level of education in the previous year, Y-1.
(Compare with Effective Transition Rate. Com-
pare also with PR, SR definition 1).
Transversal competencies. Competencies that are
beyond subject matter but are useful for occupa-
tional practice, such as teamwork, communication
skills, planning and organization, project
management, creativity, and decision‐making.
TRDpf[PF]. Teacher Recruitment and Deployment
[Policy Framework].
TREE. Training for Rural Economic Empowerment.
(ILO).
TS. Technical School. (Compare with TC).
TT. 1. Teacher Training. 2. [Historical].
Telegraphic Transfer.
TTC. [Formerly]. Teacher Training College. (See
also TTS; TEI). Note: Although “teacher educa-
tion” represents more progressive terminology, the
term “teacher training” is still widely used in
official documents and the names of teacher
education institutions.
TTD. [Formerly]. Teacher Training Department
(MOES; see also DTT, now renamed DTE). (See
Annex Figure 7).
T-TEP. Toyota Technical Education Program.
TTEP. TVET Teacher Education Program. (GTZ).
TTEST. Teacher Training Enhancement and Status
of Teachers (EQIP II, parallel co-financed by
Sida). (Note: Sometimes incorrectly referred to as
“Teacher Training and Enhancement of the Status
of Teachers” because enhancement of the status of
teachers was one of the aims of the project.)
TTI. [Formerly]. Teacher Training Institution. (See
TEI).
TTS. [Formerly]. Teacher Training School. (See
also TTC, TEI).
Note: Although “Teacher education” represents
more progressive terminology, “teacher training”
is still widely used in common discourse and in the
official names of teacher education institutions.
TTSC. Teacher Training Schools and Colleges.
(UNESCO). See TEI.
TT-TVET. Teacher Training for Technical and
Vocational Education and Training.
TU. Thammasat University. (Thailand).
TUC. [Province or district based] Teacher Upgrading
Center. (See also ISTTUC; ISTUC; NTUC).
TUP. [Province or district based] Teacher Upgrading
Program.
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TVE. Technical and Vocational Education.
TVED. Technical and Vocational Education
Department. (See also DVTE). (See Annex
Figure 7).
TVET. Technical and vocational education and
training. (See also TEVT).
TVET Center. Institution for creating, developing,
and upgrading vocational or professional
knowledge and skill to respond the labor market
demand. Under MOES, MOLSW, other line
ministries, chambers of commerce and industry,
public and private enterprises, or labor units.
Defined by Article 32 of TVET Law of 2014.
TVET Certificate. According to TVET Law,
December 2013, an education and training mode
following basic education to provide labor-market
related knowledge, skills, and attitudes in three
levels:
Certificate [level] 1: Worker with basic vocational
skills, 3-6 months after completion of LS;
Certificate [level] 2: Semi-skilled worker, 1 year
after LS or Certificate 1 + at least 6 months;
Certificate [level] 3: Skilled worker, 2 years after
LS or Certificate 2 + at least 1 year.
TVET Law. Most recent, December 2013.
TVS. Technical [and] vocational school.
TWG. 1. Technical Working Group. 2. Textbook
Working Group (EDP II). 3. Trade[s] Working
Group. (In NCTS).
U
UBE. Universal basic education. (See also UPC,
UPE).
UBP. University Bus Pass. (NUOL).
UBRU. Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University.
(Thailand).
UCL. University Central Library. (NUOL).
UCW. Understanding Children’s Work. (Inter-
agency program initiated by ILO, UNICEF, WB).
UDX. Oudomxay Province. (Also ODX).
UGRAD. US Global Undergraduate Exchange
Program. (US State Department).
UH. [History]. University of Hawaii.
UHS. University of Health Sciences. (See Annex
Table 2).
Historical Note: Established as School of
Medicine, Sisavangvong University, 1958-1975;
University of Medicine, under Ministry of Health,
1975-1977; University of Health Science, under
Ministry of Health, 1977-1996; Faculty of Medical
Sciences, NUOL, 1996-2007; University of Health
Sciences, under Ministry of Health since 2007.
UIE. [Formerly]. UNESCO Institute for Education.
(In Hamburg, Germany). (Now see UIL).
UIL. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (In
Hamburg, Germany). (Formerly UIE).
UIS. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (In Montreal,
Canada)
UMAP. University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific.
UNC. UNESCO National Commission. (Hosted
within MOES).
UNCDF. United Nations Capital Development Fund.
Uncertified teacher. Teacher lacking a certificate of
completion of teacher training from a TEI. (See
also Certified teacher; Unqualified teacher).
UNCT. United Nations Country Team. (Comprises
in Laos some 20 UN agencies working in educa-
tion, HRD, and other fields).
UNDAF. United Nations Development Assistance
Framework.
UNDCP. United Nations Drug Control Program.
Under-qualified teacher. A teacher with incomplete
teacher education qualifications for the level at
which he/she is teaching, e.g., a qualified primary
school teacher who has been “promoted” to be a
lower secondary school teacher. (See also
Qualified teacher; Unqualified teacher).
UNDESD. See DESD, definition 1.
UNDG. United Nations Development Group.
UNDP. United Nations Development Program.
(Headquarters in New York City).
UNESCAP. United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (Bangkok).
UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization. (In Paris).
Historical Note: Laos became a member in 1951.
UNESCO Bangkok. [UNESCO] Asia and Pacific
Regional Bureau for Education.
UNESCO BKK. See UNESCO Bangkok.
UNESS. UNESCO National Education Support
Strategy.
UNEVOC. UNESCO International Center for Tech-
nical and Vocational Education and Training. (In
Bonn, Germany).
UNFPA. United Nations Population Fund.
(Formerly UN Fund for Population Activities).
UNGA. United Nations General Assembly.
UNGEI. United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative.
UNICEF. United Nations Children’s Fund.
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52
UNIDO. United Nations Industrial Development
Organization. (Headquarters in Vienna, Austria).
Union Aid Abroad [APHEDA]. See APHEDA.
UNLD. UN Literacy Decade.
UNODC. United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime.
UNPAF. UN Partner Agreement Framework.
Unqualified teacher. A teacher lacking any
completed teacher education. (See also Qualified
teacher; Under-qualified teacher; Uncertified
teacher).
UNRC. United Nations Resident Coordinator.
UOW. University of Wollongong (Australia).
UPC. Universal Primary [School] Completion. (See
also UBE, UPE).
UPE. Universal Primary Education. (See also UBE,
UPC).
UPI. [History]. University Pedagogical Institute.
Founded 1964. See VPU.
Upper primary school. [History]. Grades 4 – 5 or
4 – 6. (Compare with Lower primary school,
Elementary School).
Upper secondary school. Grades 10 - 12. (Compare
with Lower Secondary School. See Annex Figure
1).
Historical Note: Beginning in the school year
2009/10, a 4th year was added to lower secondary
school, leading to a 12 year school system.
UPSET. Upgrade in-service education and training.
(See also INSET; PRESET; TISUP)
US. Upper Secondary [Education]. (See USE).
USAID. United States Agency for International
Development. (Note: “AID” refers to the Agency
for International Development, with headquarters
in Washington, D.C. “USAID” refers to the field
offices abroad, such as in Vientiane.)
Historical Note: USAID operated in Laos from
1961 to 1975, returning in 2011, and returning to
the education sector in Laos in 2014. (See also
ICA).
USD. United States Dollar.
USE. Upper secondary education. (Grades 10 – 12
since 2009/10). (Compare with LSE).
USIA. [History]. US Information Agency. (See also
USIS).
USIS. [History]. United States Information Service.
(Name applied overseas for the USIA).
USME. Unity School of Management and
Education.
USOM. [History]. United States Operations
Mission.
USPACOM. United States Pacific Command. (In
coordination with the US Embassy, conducts
humanitarian work in education sector and other
sectors in Laos since late 1990s).
USS. Upper secondary school. (Compare with LSS.
See USE).
UXO. Unexploded Ordnance.
V
VA. Victim Assistance.
VAC. Village Administration Committee. (See also
VDC; VEDC definition 1).
Vat. See Wat.
VAT. Value Added Tax.
VAW. Violence against Women.
VC. Vocational Certificate. See TVET Certificate.
VC I Vocational Certificate, Level 1;
VC II Vocational Certificate, Level 2;
VC III Vocational Certificate, Level 3.
VC. Vientiane College.
VCESS. Vientiane Capital Education & Sports
Service. (Formerly [V]CES).
VD. Vientiane Declaration [on Aid Effectiveness].
(Signed at 9th RTM, 1 November 2006).
VDC. Village Development Committee. (See also
VEDC definition 1; WEDC).
VDCAP. Vientiane Declaration Country Action
Plan.
VDF. Village Development Fund.
VE. Vocational Education. See TVET.
VEC. Vocational Education Committee. (In NCTS).
VEDC. 1. Village Education Development
Committee. (See also EDC; DEDC; VDC; VEF).
2. [Formerly]. Vocational Education Development
Center. (Now see VEDI).
VEDI. Vocational Education [Research and]
Development Institute. (Vientiane). (Formerly
VEDC).
VEF. Village Education Fund. (See also VEDC
definition 1).
VELA. Vocational Education [and Training] in
Laos. (External co-financing by GIZ and SDC).
VEQS. Vocational Education Quality Standards.
VESD. Vientiane Education and Sports Department.
VET. Vocational Education and Training. (See
TVET).
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53
VETSA. Vocational Education and Training System
Advisory [Project]. (External financing by GTZ).
VFI. Village Focus International (NGO, USA).
vhs. German: Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband.
[German Adult Education Association]. (NGO,
Germany).
VHV. Village Health Volunteer.
VHW. Village Health Worker.
VI. Visual impairment.
Viang Chan. Vientiane.
Note: “Vientiane” is the more common spelling in
English and French language documents, but
“Viang Chan” is phonetically closer to the Lao
spelling. The romanized spelling, “Vientiane”,
was given by the French to accord with French
pronunciation.
Vice Minister. Senior official serving directly under
the Minister. (Also Deputy Minister; compare
with Assistant Minister).
Vichittakam. Lao: School of Visual Arts.
Vientiane Capital. Comprises Vientiane [Capital]
City plus the following districts: Mayparkngum,
Naxaithong, Sangthong, and Xaythany.
Vientiane [Capital] City. Comprises the following
districts: Chanthabouly, Hadxaifong, Naxaithong,
Pak Ngeum, Sangthong, Saythany, Sikhottabong,
Sisattanak, Xaysetha.
Vientiane Declaration [on Aid Effectiveness].
Declaration signed by Laos and DPs at 9th RTM in
November 2006 as the Lao adaptation or
‘localization’ of the Paris Declaration on Aid
Effectiveness. Main features include:
Ownership: Laos sets its own strategies for
poverty reduction, improves its institutions, and
tackles corruption;
Alignment: DPs align behind these objectives
and use local systems in their support programs;
Harmonization: DPs coordinate their programs,
simplify procedures, and share information to
avoid duplication;
Results: Laos and DPs focus on development
results and measurement of the results; and
Mutual accountability: Laos and DPs are
mutually accountable for development results.
Vientiane MCPT. See Vientiane Municipality.
Vientiane Municipality. Note: In common writing,
the terms “Vientiane Municipality”, “Vientiane
Capital”, and “Vientiane Prefecture” are often used
synonymously, but the term “Prefecture” is
obsolete in the Lao context, and the current official
names are Vientiane Capital and Vientiane
[Capital] City.
Vientiane Prefecture. [Formerly]. Vientiane
Capital. (See Vientiane Municipality, Vientiane
Capital and Vientiane [Capital] City).
Vihara. Pali: Literally “abode”, where monks live,
usually within a wat. Buddhist monastery.
Village school. A school, typically (but not
necessarily) in a rural or remote area and offering
only 1, 2, or 3 grades. (See also Incomplete
school, School cluster).
Village teacher. See Community teacher.
Vinaya [Pitaka]. Pali: [literally “Education Basket”,
or “Discipline Basket”, hence collection of rules
for education]. The regulatory framework for the
Sangha. (See also Tipitaka).
Vipassana. Pali: Insight, intuitive understanding,
gained through meditation.
VIS. Vientiane International School. (Private;
International Baccalaureate World School).
Vision 2020. 1. ASEAN Vision for the Year 2020.
(Adopted 1997). 2. 2020 Goal.
Vision 2030. Development policy vision to be
adopted by the 10th Party Congress in March 2015
for the Year 2030.
VITA [Park]. Vientiane Industrial and Trade Area.
(An SEZ, definition 1).
VLE. Virtual Learning Environment. (See also
CMS, LMS).
VM. Vice Minister.
Vocational center. Also Vocational Training Center.
Generic term for place in which basic vocational
training is conducted.
Vocational Diploma. Diploma awarded on
completion of a TVET 12+3 year program.
(Compare with Technician Diploma).
VOCTECH. SEAMEO Regional Center for
Vocational and Technical Education and Training.
(In Brunei Darussalam).
Volunteer teacher. See Community teacher.
VPA. Voluntary partnership agreement.
VPES. Vientiane Provincial Education Services.
VPU. [History]. Vientiane Pedagogical University.
(Merged in 1996 with other institutions to become
NUOL; see PERP).
VQF. Vocational Qualification[s] Framework. Also
LNVQF, NQF, NVQF.
Comprises 5 levels according to the TVET Law of
2014:
Level 1: Basic vocational training;
Level 2: Semi-skilled worker;
Level 3: Skilled worker; (Continued)
R. & V. Noonan, 2015-01-21 53rd Edition
54
Level 4: Technician; and
Level 5: Higher Technician.
Note: These vocational qualifications in detail are
specified in the National Qualification[s]
Framework (NQF).
VS. Village Science. (NGO, USA).
VSA. Volunteer Service Abroad. (NGO, New
Zealand).
VSDC. Vocational Skills Development Center.
(MOLSW).
VSO. Voluntary Service Overseas. INGO.
VT. Variable tranche. (E.g., with EC budget
support; compare with FT).
VTC. Vocational and Technical College. (Compare
with VTS).
VTE. 1. Vientiane [Capital City]. 2. Vientiane
Province. 3. Vocational Teacher Education.
VTED. Vocational Teacher Education Department.
(Faculty of Engineering, NUOL). (Formerly
VTTD).
VTET. See TVET.
VTI. Vocational and Technical Institution.
VTM. Vientiane Municipality. (Renamed Vientiane
Capital. See VTE).
VTP. 1. Vocational Training Program. 2. Vientiane
Province.
VTS. Vocational and Technical School. (Compare
with VTC).
VTTD. [Formerly]. Vocational Teacher Training
Division. (Faculty of Engineering, NUOL). (See
VTED).
VWU. Village Women’s Union.
VYDA. Vulnerable [Lao] Youth Development
Association. (Lao NPA, definition 2).
W
WA. Withdrawal Application. (ADB, WB).
W/A. Withdrawal Application.
Wapikhamthong Province. [History]. Created as a
province carved out of eastern Saravane province
in 1962 and restored to Saravane province at the
end of 1975. (See also Sam Neua Province).
WASH. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. (UNICEF).
Wat . Lao: Buddhist temple complex, including a
temple, other religious and residential buildings
enclosed by a wall with gateways. (Also “Vat”).
(See also Vihara).
Wat school. See Temple school. See also Pali
school.
WATSAN. Water and Sanitation.
WAU. World Around Us. (Primary school textbook
in social studies).
WB. World Bank.
WBI. World Bank Institute.
WCS. Wildlife Conservation Society. (NGO, USA).
WD&r[&]R. World Development & Relief. (INGO).
WDI. World Development Indicators. (WB).
WE [/ Consortium]. [Formerly] World Education /
Consortium in the Lao PDR. (NGO, Laos). (Now
see WEL).
Wearing white. Reference to a lay person (i.e., not
ordained into the Buddhist monkhood). (See also
White rob).
WEC. See WE / Consortium.
WEDC. Women’s Education Development Center.
(Compare with EDC, VEDI, DEDC).
WEDGE. Women’s Entrepreneurship Development
and Gender Equality. (ILO).
WEF. World Education Forum.
WEI. World Education International. (INGO, see
WEI / Consortium).
WEL. World Education Laos. (NGO, Laos).
WES. Water and Environmental Sanitation.
WFCL. Worst Forms of Child Labor. (ILO
convention, No. 182, 1999, to which Laos is a
signatory).
WFFC. World Fit For Children.
WFP. World Food Program. (UN).
WG. Working Group.
WHH. See DWHH.
White robe. Reference to either: (1) The robe of a
candidate for ordination as a Buddhist novice
monk; or (2) The robe of a Buddhist nun. (See
also Wearing white).
Historical Note: In some historical documents the
term “white-robed priests” is used disparagingly to
refer to Christian missionaries (i.e., not ordained
into the Buddhist Sangha, hence “wearing white”
instead of saffron robes).
WID. [Formerly]. Women in Development. (See
GDA).
WinS. WASH in Schools.
World Concern. (NGO, USA).
World Education. (NGO, USA). (See WEL).
WHO. World Health Organization.
WPE. Work Plan on Education. (ASEAN).
WR. World Renew. (INGO, Christian Reformed
Church in North America). (Formerly CRWRC).
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55
WS. Workshop.
WSIS. World Summit on the Information Society.
WTO. World Trade Organization.
Historical Note: Laos joined WTO in February
2013.
WVl[L]. World Vision [in Lao PDR]. (INGO.
Christian humanitarian organization).
WWF. World Wildlife Fund. (INGO).
X Y Z
Xiosane Avouso Teacher. Lao: Senior Expert
Teacher. [Title, 1st Rank]. (See also Pasopkane
Teacher; Samnanekane Teacher; Xiosane Teacher).
Xiosane Teacher. Lao: Expert Teacher. [Title, 2nd
Rank]. (See also Pasopkane Teacher;
Samnanekane Teacher; and Xiosane Avouso
Teacher).
XK. Xiengkhuang Province. (Also XKG, XKH).
XKG. Xiengkhuang Province. (Also XK, XKH).
XKH. Xiengkhuang Province. (Also XK, XKG).
XRB. Xayabury Province. (Also XYB).
XYB. Xayabury Province. (Also XRB).
¥. Japanese Yen.
YB. [Statistical] Yearbook.
YES. [Honda] Young Engineers and Scientists.
(Independent program supported by Honda
Foundation).
YF. Youth Forum.
Young Pioneers. Organization for primary school
age children; under LPRYU.
Note: Sometimes translated as “Scouts”, but that
misses the political dimension of Young Pioneers,
which is organized under the leadership of
LPRYU, a Mass Organization, itself under the
leadership of the Party.
YOY. Also YoY, y-o-y. Year-on-year [growth rate],
for example of enrollment, population, GDP;
GDP/c. (Contrast with Average Annual Growth
Rate).
Note: For any extended period of time, the
Average Annual Growth Rate is preferred because
the YOY growth rate becomes increasingly
misleading as the number of periods increases.
ZOA. Dutch: Zuidoost-Azië. [Southeast Asia].
(NGO, Netherlands; best known internationally
simply as ZOA).
Zomia. Geographic term referring to the highlands of
northern peninsular Southeast Asia (Laos, northern
Vietnam and Thailand, the Shan Hills of northern
Burma) and the mountains of Southwest China.
Often used discussions concerning the ethnic
minorities living in the highlands and mountainous
areas.
ZOPP. German: Zielorientierte Projektplanung.
[Objectives-Oriented Project Planning]. Author
trans. (See also OOPP).
ZSKF. Zsigmond Király Fölskola. [Hungarian].
King Sigismund Business School. (Budapest,
Hungary)
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Annex Figures
Figure 1: School System Structure as of School Year 2014/2015
Notes:
1. The UNESCO International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) codes are shown.
2. The three-year lower secondary school was replaced by a four-year lower secondary school in
School Year 2009/10, resulting in a 12-year school system.
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Figure 3: Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Forms
Figure 4: Typical School Cluster: Core School and Satellite Schools
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Figure 5: Implementation Plan for Teacher Education 2010/10 to 2014/15
Notes:
1. The curriculum
and teaching and
learning methods in
Lao TVET are in a
state of transforma-
tion. Many TVET
institutions are intro-
ducing competency
based training.
2. The Diploma and
Higher Diploma
earned in the regular
TVET stream and the
IVET continuing
stream are formally
equivalent.
Figure 6: General, TVET, and IVET Streams after Lower Secondary Education
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Annex Tables
Table 1: PESS and DEBS Organization
PESS DEBS
Director Director
Deputy Directors Deputy Directors
Administration Administration
Organization and Personnel Organization and Personnel
Statistics and Planning Statistics and Planning
Pre-school and Primary Education Pre-school and Primary Education
Secondary Education
TVET
Non-formal Education and Basic Skill Training Non-formal Education and Basic Skill Training
Arts and Physical Education Arts and Physical Education
Teacher Development
Community Sport Sport Exercise
Elite Sports
Inspection and Evaluation Inspection and Evaluation
Pedagogical Advisors
Table 2: Universities and Faculties
Universities under MOES
Champasack University (CU), Pakse. Established 2002. Faculties: Agriculture, Economic and
Business Administration, Education.
National University of Laos (NUOL), Vientiane. Established 1995. Faculties: Agriculture,
Architecture, Economics and Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Forestry,
Law and Political Sciences, Letters, Medical Sciences, [Natural] Sciences, Social Sciences.
Savannakhet University (SKU), Savannakhet. Established 2009. Faculties: Agriculture and
Environmental Sciences, Business Administration, Linguistics and Humanities.
Souphanouvong University (SU), Luang Prabang. Established 2003. Faculties: Agriculture,
Economics and Business Administration, Education.
Universities under Other Ministries
University of Health Sciences (UHS), Vientiane. Established 2007. Faculties: Basic Science,
Dentistry, Medical Technology, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Post Graduate Studies.
Notes:
1. MOES has broad oversight responsibility for all education development, but CU, SKU, and SU have
autonomous administrative authority.
2. The University of Health Sciences was established in 1958 as the School of Medicine and has been
renamed several times. It has been managed alternately under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of
Health. In 2007 it was renamed University of Health Sciences and placed under the Ministry of Health.
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Table 3: Ethno-Linguistic Groups and their Population Distribution, 2005
No. Ethnic group % No. Ethnic group %
Lao-Tai Linguistic Sub-group
Mon-Khmer Sub-group Continued
1 Lao 54.6 30 Cheng 0.1
2 Tai 3.8 31 Sedang 0.0
3 Phoutai 3.3 32 Suay 0.8
4 Lue 2.2 33 Nya Heun 0.1
5 Nyouan 0.5 34 Lavi 0.0
6 Yang 0.1 35 Pacoh 0.3
7 Xaek 0.1 36 Khmer 0.1
8 Tai Neua 0.3 37 Toum 0.1
Total 64.9 38 Ngouan 0.0
39 Moy 0.0
Mon-Khmer Linguistic Sub-group 40 Kri 0.0
9 Khmou 10.9 Total 22.6
10 Phai 0.4
11 Xing Moul 0.2 Tibeto-Burman Linguistic Sub-group
12 Phong 0.5 41 Ahka 1.6
13 Thaen 0.0 42 Singsily 0.7
14 Oedou 0.0 43 Lahou 0.3
15 Bit 0.0 44 Sila 0.1
16 Lamet 0.4 45 Hanyi 0.0
17 Samtao 0.1 46 Lolo 0.0
18 Katang 2.1 47 Ho 0.2
19 Makong 2.1 Total 2.8
20 Tri 0.5
21 Yrou 0.8 Hmong-Yao Linguistic sub-group
22 Tariang 0.5 48 Hmong 8.0
23 Ta Oy 0.6 49 Iu Mien Yao 0.5
24 Yaeh 0.2 Total 8.5
25 Brao 0.4
26 Katou 0.4 Other / No answer
27 Halak 0.4 50 Other 0.2
28 Oy 0.4 51 No answer 1.0
29 Kriang 0.2
National Population Total 100.0
Source: 2005 National Census, main report, Table 2.6, page 15.
Historical Note: The RLG classified the multi-ethnic population of Laos into three groups (Lao Loum, Lao
Soung, and Lao Theung) based on the assumed topographical distribution, with little regard to ethno-linguistic
characteristics. The 1992 Central Party Resolution on Ethnic Minorities recommended that this classification no
longer be used. The National Edification Committee of the Lao National Ethnic Classification Conference in
August 2000 agreed on a two tiered system comprising 49 ethnic groups (as shown above) and 160 sub-groups.
As of the school year 2007/08 the ethnicity data collected by MOES is based on the ethno-linguistic
classifications, not the topographical classification.
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Table 4: Lao Education for All (EFA) - Number of Objectives, Targets, and Activities
Program
Objec-
tives Targets
Activ-
ities
Pillar 1: Access and Participation 22 30 139
1 Access and Participation in ECCD 4 4 17
2 Access and Participation in Formal Primary Education 5 21 32
3 Access and Participation in Lower Secondary Education 4 2 19
4 Youth and Adult Literacy 7 2 53
5 Skills Development Program for Disadvantaged Groups 2 1 18
Pillar 2: Quality and Relevance 13 6 110
6 Quality and Relevance in Formal Primary and Lower
Secondary Education
13 6 110
Pillar 3: Management 7 8 26
7 Education Administration and Management 7 8 26
Source: Ministry of Education (MOE). (2005). “Education for All National Plan of Action 2003-
2015”. Vientiane: MOE. Pp. 41-65.
Table 5: Lao National Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for Education
No. Indicator
Target
(%)
MDG 2: Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be
able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
6 Primary Net Enrollment Rate 98
7 Primary school Survival Rate 95
8 Literacy rate in age range 15-24 99
MDG 3: Eliminate gender disparity at all levels by 2015.
9 Gender Ratio for enrollment at all levels 100
10 Gender Ratio for literacy in age range 15-24 100
Note: Only those MDGs and indicators directly and specifically related to the education sector are listed
here. For a complete listing the reader is referred to the relevant official documentation, e.g., Government of
Lao PDR and United Nations. (2004). “Millennium Development Goals Progress Report Lao PDR”.
Vientiane and New York: GOL and UN.
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Table 6: Official Names of Lao Government Structure, as of July 2014
Official Name & Standard Abbreviation
Sometimes found in current writings
but out of date or incorrect
Ministries
Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Education & Sports (MOES) Ministry of Education
Ministry of Energy & Mines (MEM) Ministry of Energy & Mining
Ministry of Finance (MOF)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Ministry of Health (MOH) Ministry of Public Health
Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA)
Ministry of Industry & Commerce (MIC) Ministry of Industry & Handicraft
Ministry of Information, Culture, & Tourism (MICT) Ministry of Information & Culture
Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
Ministry of Labor & Social Welfare (MOLSW)
Ministry of National Defense (MND) Ministry of Public Defense
Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MONRE)
Ministry of Planning & Investment (MOPI or MPI)
Ministry of Post & Telecommunications (MPT) Ministry of Post, Telecom, & Communications
Ministry of Public Security (MPS) Ministry of National Security
Ministry of Public Works & Transport (MPWT)
Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST)
Ministry-equivalent Organizations
Bank of the Lao PDR
Government Inspection Authority
Government Office.
Note: This list is provided here because references in English-language literature, including “official
translations” of GOL documents, often give out-of-date names or “home-made” translations. Here we list the
official names as provided on the official websites. Sometimes variants can be found on the same official
website. In such cases we have listed here the most common variants found in authoritative and well-written
documents.
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Table 7: Spelling of Provinces and Common Place Names
Code Province Common Places
1 Vientiane Capital Annamite Mountain Range (also referred to as the Annamese or
Annamite Cordillera).
2 Phongsaly Bolaven Plateau. Located mainly in Champasak Province, but
extending into Sekong and Attapeu Provinces.
3 Luangnamtha Khone Falls (In southern Laos)
4 Oudomxay Plain of Jars (Located on the Xiengkhuang Plateau).
5 Bokeo
6 Luangprabang Note: The districts of Xaysomboon Special Region were transferred
in 2006 to Xiengkhuang and Vientiane Provinces; restored as
Xaysomboon Province in December 2013. 7 Huaphanh
8 Xayabury
9 Xiengkhuang
10 Vientiane
11 Borikhamxay
12 Khammuane
13 Savannakhet
14 Saravane
15 Sekong
16 Champasack
17 Attapeu
Note: There is no official spelling in English for names of provinces. The spellings given here are those used
in the statistical reports issued by the Lao Statistics Bureau. The Code is the province number in the statistical
reports. The spelling of other common place names follows the most authoritative sources.
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Annex Boxes
Box 1: Summary Timeline for General Education Policy Development, from 1990
March 1990: Laos signs World Declaration on Education for All (EFA) in Jomtien, Thailand.
August 1996: Prime Minister signs Decree on Compulsory Education.
April 2000: Education Law 2000 mandates free and compulsory primary education.
September 2000: Laos commits to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the Millennium Summit at
the UN headquarters in New York.
October 2000: MOE publishes ‘The Education Strategic Vision up to the Year 2020’ for presentation at 7th
Round Table Meeting.
March 2001: 7th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) presents a 5-, 10-, and 20-year
development strategy and endorses the 5th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP5)
(2001-2005).
August 2001: MOE publishes ‘The Education Strategic Planning, 20 Years (2001-2020), 10 Years (2001-
2010), and 5 Years Development Plan for Education at the 5th Plenary Session (2001-2005)’.
March 2005: ‘Education for All National Plan of Action 2003-2015’ (EFA NPA) is approved by the Prime
Minister, committing Laos to national EFA goals and targets in accordance with the Framework for
Action adopted at the World Education Forum in Dakar in 2000.
March 2006: 8th Party Congress endorses 6th NSEDP (2006-2010), which promotes economic development,
with human resource development as a key instrument.
November 2006: At the 9th Round Table Meeting, Vientiane Declaration (VD) on Aid Effectiveness is signed.
July 2007: The National Assembly approves the Revised Education Law 2007, which stipulates the extension
of lower secondary schooling to four years and promotes private education sector investment.
April 2008: National Education System Reform Strategy (NESRS) 2006-2015 is promulgated.
January 2009: Development Partners endorse draft Education Sector Development Framework 2009-2015
(ESDF) as common framework for support to government for education sector development and
recommends Lao PDR accession to Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Partnership.
April 2009: Education Sector Development Framework 2009-2015 (ESDF) is promulgated.
January 2010: PMO promulgates Decree on TVET and Skills Development.
March 2010: Lao PDR successfully secures USD30 million from FTI–Catalytic Fund to support
implementation of the sector plan.
September 2011: Education Sector Development Plan 2011-2015 (ESDP) is promulgated.
September 2011: In accordance with directions in the 7th NSEDP, and after merger with Lao National Sports
Committee, Ministry of Education (MOE) is reorganized and re-named Ministry of Education and Sports
(MOES).
October, 2011: The 7th NSEDP (2011-2015) is approved.
January 2014: TVET Law and Labor Law are approved.
September 2014. National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is approved.