Ministry of Education and Sports, Australia and Japan support flood-affected schools in Luang Namtha and Oudomxay provinces

Heavy rainfall on 29 and 30 August 2026 caused severe flash floods across several river systems in northern Lao PDR, particularly in two provinces. The floods affected schools, covered school grounds with landslides and damaged textbooks and other materials teachers and students need for learning.

A total of more than 40 educational institutions were affected across the two provinces, with primary schools accounting for more than half. Textbooks, teacher guides and learning equipment were among the main losses. School buildings, furniture, and electrical systems were also damaged.

The Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES) led the discussions on the emergency response to support affected schools. Australia, through the BEQUAL program, as well as Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), responded to MoES’ urgent request to replace lost primary textbooks and learning materials for the affected schools to support the continuation of education.

The support from Australia includes 3,651 textbooks for students from Grade 1 to 5. The textbooks cover the core subjects of Lao Language, Science and the Environment, and English. Australia also provided a wide range of educational and sports materials, including 6,550 notebooks for students and teachers, 6,330 pencils, almost 900 storybooks and practice books, over 500 educational posters, hundreds of sports items such as rattan balls, footballs, volleyballs, and badminton sets. JICA joined the response effort by providing a total of 2,692 primary Mathematics textbooks for all primary students from Grade 1 to 5.

The materials were handed over on 13 October 2026 by Mr. Michael Currie, First Secretary, Australian Embassy and Mr. Nobuyuki Kobe, Senior Representative, JICA Lao PDR Office to Mr. Vilayphone Phommahaxay, Permanent Secretary, Ministry Education and Sports of Lao PDR.

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