Lao PDR’s Technical and Vocational Education Department (TVED) and the Vocational Education Development Institute (VEDI) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok have completed the draft TVET teacher curricula for continuing Associate and Bachelor degree programmes in 3 pilot subjects; Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Civil Engineering.

Together with Lao PDR’s TVED and VEDI, the Thailand International Cooperation Agency and GIZ initiated the Lao-Thai-German cooperation project “Support to Lao TVET” in October 2017 for a planned implementation period of six months.  The project is expected to end in April 2018. The cooperation aims to strengthen the development of the TVET curricula and management course in Lao PDR in line with the Lao Vocational Teacher Standard and ASEAN’s Practical Teacher Standard. The qualified TVET teachers will be able to pass on skills and knowledge to the vocational teachers thus allowing them to become members of a qualified and skilled labour force in the future.

The working group from the curriculum development unit of VEDI and Higher Education Department (HED) worked closely with the expert team from the Faculty of Technical Education, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok and the Office of Vocational Education Commission to develop the VEDI’s TVET teacher curricula, which have been revised based on the Lao TVET-related rules and regulations. Moreover, representatives from the private sector also shared their views on the labour needs of each profession and their perspectives were taken into consideration for the curricula revision.

Under the trilateral cooperation, the working group has successfully delivered the draft TVET teacher curricula for continuing Associate and Bachelor degree programmes in 3 pilot subjects, which are Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Civil Engineering. Students with a vocational education diploma will be able to attend these programmes and graduate with Bachelor of Vocational Education degree in 5 years, which is in line with international practices. The curricula proposals have been reviewed by involved stakeholders and are now in the process of submission to the Ministry of Education and Sports for approval this year. The curricula are expected to come into force this academic year (August 2018).