Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia advocate for best practice child protection in schools

On 16th July 2024, Mr. Somsy Southivong, Deputy Permanent Secretary MoES and Committee for Advanced Women, Mother and Child, Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), and Ms. Vanessa Hegarty, First Secretary for Education and Health, Australian Embassy, launched MoES’ new official Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidance for Educators. The launch ceremony took place during the celebration of 69th anniversary of Lao Women’s Union Day (20 July 1955- 20 July 2024), which was followed by a three-day training workshop on child protection for educators. The trainees are teachers at Dongkhamxang Teacher Training College (TTC). During the celebration, the Chair and Co-Chair highlighted the importance of Lao Women’s Union Day and the key role that the Lao Women’s Union plays in promoting child protection and safeguarding.

Mr. Somsy Southivong said “Child protection and safeguarding is a shared priority of the Government of Lao PDR and Government of Australia. Teachers play a vital role in child protection by being pro-active, supportive, and knowledgeable about child protection. Their actions can make a significant difference in creating safe learning environments. This new Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidance for Educators was developed to support teachers to fully understand child protection and provide them with access to information about referral services and reporting systems. As you all know, teachers not only facilitate their students to learn but also create a safe space for children to learn and thrive. When students feel safe, they will do well at school.”

Ms. Vanessa Hegarty said “In Australia, it is recognised that all people who work with children have a responsibility to ensure their physical and emotional safety. Australia is proud to partner with the Ministry of Education and Sports through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) program on the development and dissemination of its new official Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidance for Educators and capacity building on this essential topic. The safeguarding children guide that was presented today explains the practical actions that should be taken by everyone whose work brings them into contact with children. Child protection and safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Let’s all be role models and work together to ensure safe learning environments for our children.”

More than 360 participants from the different departments of MoES, Vientiane Provincial Education and Sports Services, Dongkhamxang TTC (including lecturers, in-service teachers taking upgrading courses, pre-service teachers) and Lao Women’s Union representatives attended the ceremony. A selected group of specialist trainers from MoES attended the three-day training. The training took a user-centered approach with many active and participatory sessions. During the first one and half-days, the MoES’ Division for the Advancement of Women and the Gender Trainer Team from MoES trained 40 Dongkhamxang TTC lecturers to be future child protection trainers. The participants discussed acceptable and unacceptable behaviours in relation to child protection in the school environment such as: sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, respecting children’s rights and inclusion, managing children’s behaviour communicating with children, photographing or filming children, and the use of alcohol and drugs. They then reviewed adult learning principles and teaching theory to prepare them to be efficient trainers. On the second day, the 40 lecturers cascaded the child protection training to 300 TTC lecturers and student-teachers. The last day culminated with the launch ceremony and the presentation of the Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidance for Educators.

Lecturers, in-service teachers taking upgrading courses and pre-service teachers at Dongkhamxang TTC, who attended the event

 

Mr. Somsy Southivong concluded “We hope this child protection and safeguarding guideline will be useful by teachers to create safe environments for students. I urge all teachers to strongly pay attention to child protection and advocate for the safety of children in school.”

Ms. Vanessa Hegarty concluded “Teachers play a vital role in safeguarding students. Ensuring students feel safe at school helps them to thrive on their learning journey. Equipping teachers with necessary tools and skills will ensure they can promote and practice child protection and safeguarding inside and outside of the classroom.”

BEQUAL is a program led by the Lao Government with support from the Australian Government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The program focuses on enhancing educational outcomes for the nation’s youth, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged. BEQUAL is focused on ensuring gender equality and promoting inclusive education across all activities.