Laos
Safe Schools

Laos is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, ranked 139 out of 193 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index. While there has been rapid economic progress in recent decades, economic disparity is huge and ethnic groups in rural areas are amongst the poorest and most marginalised people. According to Save the Children’s Child Rights Situational Analysis, child deprivation is among the most severe in the Asia Region. Access to education remains a challenge and most girls in rural and ethnic communities drop out from school after Grade 5.  

Learning outcomes are also low across students in basic education. When it comes to child protection, children in Laos are vulnerable to neglect, abuse and exploitation. Early marriage is also an issue, with higher incidences among girls in rural areas, girls who are poor, and girls who are from ethnic communities.   

Poverty is exacerbated by natural and human-made hazards, which cause widespread agriculture loss, increase food insecurity and cause loss of community assets such as water and sanitation facilities. These hazards threaten the safety and protection of children across Laos, as well as their access to a continuous basic education.   

Save the Children’s Safe Schools programme in Luang Prabang Province, Laos, addresses the vulnerabilities faced by children in one of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations.  

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports, Save the Children has enhanced school safety through improved national policies and the creation of a national Safe School network.  

Directly engaging with 30 schools, the programme has facilitated the installation of safety fences, signs, toilets, shelters, and improved roads. Water tanks have been provided to prevent children from leaving school and entering dangerous areas to collect water. Training in fire safety, first aid, and regular safety drills are now conducted for students and teachers.  

Children’s School Safety Clubs empower students to understand their rights, identify risks, and respond effectively to emergencies. This initiative has increased the sense of safety amongst children, with 83% now feeling secure at school and a notable rise in students’ participation in safety activities.  

We’re seeing measurable improvements in school safety and community preparedness every day. In Luang Prabang Province, 83% of children now feel safe at school, up from a lower baseline, and 71% of students actively participate in identifying and mitigating dangers, a significant increase from the original 44%.   

Teachers’ understanding of school safety has also risen – to 92%, with 82% implementing safety policies. Additionally, more than 1,000 people across 30 villages have been trained in disaster management and school safety. Students’ knowledge of evacuation procedures and fire safety has also increased markedly.  

Infrastructure enhancements, such as safety fences, signs, and sanitary facilities, have further added to a safer learning environment. The establishment of Children’s School Safety Clubs has empowered students to recognise and respond to risks, ensuring lasting safety and preparedness.  

These achievements, documented through surveys and assessments, highlight the programme’s substantial impact on creating a secure and supportive educational environment.  

Through Aotearoa New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation Programme — Ngā Hoe Tuputupu-mai-tawhiti, Kiwis are providing children in Laos and around the world with the chance to achieve a brighter future. Find out more about this Government support here. This programme is also supported by our generous regular givers, whose monthly contribution works to create irreversible positive change for and with children at home and around the world. 

Save the Children works in partnership with the Laos Government.