The purpose of this study is to promote systematic development of the Laotian education sector for improvement of current education development cooperation projects in Laos (2013-2015) and to provide implications for the establishment of the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) in 2015.
 The direction of the education sector development cooperation and major cooperation programs are proposed in this report are based on the Laotian government’s 7th National Social Economic Development Plan 2011-2015, analysis of needs in education development, and actual analysis on assistance from international organizations and major donor countries. To this end, published data from international organizations such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB), research data and previous research on education cooperation were analyzed. Also, field research (July 5th-12th , 2014) was performed to identify the needs related to cooperation in education sector development and to collect the latest data in Laos. During the field research, interviews were conducted with government officials from ODA-related departments, in addition to departments in education and vocational training.
In the First Chapter, the purpose of this study, its background, and research method are presented.
Chapter Two presents the result of the research on the development plan and education development needs in Laos. During 1990-2012, industrial diversification was in progress as the agricultural sector, which was the country’s main industry in the past, decreased in terms of its share of the economy. To ensure the momentum of change and pursue modernization, industralization, social and economic development in Laos by 2010, the Laotian government promoted the 7th National Social Economic Development Plan (2011-2015). In promoting the education development cooperation in Laos, it is necessary to actively support human resource development which is vital in raising the overall level of the various communities. And in order to develop the plan, the result of the research shows that development needs should focus on primary education and early secondary education. After that, potential development needs were identified in vocational training which remains very weak at the moment. Finally, it seems necessary that strategies that effectively responds to needs in higher education development along with economic growth in Laos have to be formulated.
The Third Chapter surveyed the current status of cooperation in education development as they relate to the international community in Laos and reviewed the development cooperation cases from major donors (Germany, Japan, Australia). Analysis showed that during 2008-2012, 13.3% (54.66 million US dollars) of total ODA went toward the support of the education sector .
Chapter 4 described the performance of Korea’s education sector development cooperation by agency (e.g. KOICA, EDCF, Ministry of Education). The results showed that, in a recent five-year period (2007-2011), Korean government provided 23.12 million US dollars in support of education, which was the second largest next to drinking water supply and sanitation (29.95 million US dollars).
Based on results from chapter 2-4, Chapter 5 proposes a plan for cooperation in education sector development in Laos which can be included in the Laos Country Partnership Strategy 2016-2020. The purpose of cooperation in the Lao education sector development is “Supporting Lao education development goals by gradually increasing assistance”, with strategies suggested as follows: 1) step by step project management, 2) minimization of assistance overlap, 3) maximizing the use of Korea’s development experience as a recipient. As for operating principles of education development cooperation projects, such strategies as 1) systematic needs analysis, 2) evidence-based project management, 3) strengthening partnership, 4) systematic performance management principles, were suggested. The major areas of assistance, including secondary education, vocational training, and higher education were identified
Finally, Chapter Six summarized the research results mentioned in previous chapters and suggested implications which will help improve the current direction and project management with respect to education sector development cooperation of Korea.
The implications of proposals made in this study for overall cooperation in education sector development are as follows:
First, to improve the efficiency of education development cooperation, harmonization between Korea and other donor institutions that have served recipient countries for a long time should be considered as a critical principle.
Second, education development cooperation projects should be pursued in concert with middle and long term Laotian education sector development cooperation.
Third, policy measures which would enable development cooperation agencies to follow the education sector plans of the CPS need to be prepared.
Fourth, stronger monitoring along with increased evaluation and follow-up training for education development cooperation projects is important.
Fifth, to increase the level of quality and efficiency of education development cooperation, training of ‘education ODA advisers’ is needed who can stay in recipient countries and help develop joint projects in consultation with the Ministry of Education officials.
Finally, ODA projects in education should favor gradual expansion over rapid quantitative expansion in order to improve the efficiency.