Segment 1

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Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

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2. Achieve Universal Primary Education. The number of primary school-aged children who are out of school has declined from 115 million in 2002 to 75 million today. But this is still too many and, despite improvements, there are still fewer girls than boys in school.

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Target. Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

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Laos

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This school in a remote area of Laos is one of many benefiting from an education program aimed at increasing the number of children, particularly girls, enrolled in school.

DOKKEO PHONTHACHIT [Department of Planning and Cooperation, Ministry of Education]

We can see that now there are more and more girls in school. That's very impressive that the parents can realize that education is so important for the children.

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Australia has also funded the construction of new schools as well as a comprehensive teacher-training program to improve the standard of education across the country, particularly in remote areas.

MS. INVANH [Teacher, Ban Dakduang]

It is important that they now can learn to read and write. When I started teaching they couldn't read and write and speak Laos, but since their reading and writing has improved they feel more motivated to come to school.

BAN CHALING [Village Chief]

Yes, it has been easier for the village to encourage kids to come to school, and kids are willing to come to school because they like the new building.

VOICEOVER

There are also innovative support programs aimed at keeping the children in school, such as providing nutritious snacks, training teachers in child-centered teaching techniques, and grants to schools.

DOKKEO PHONTHACHIT

Significantly education can contribute a lot of support to poor families. I think education is the key for their success in the future. As schools are built, teachers are trained, curriculum is developed, those interventions will help.

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What is Australia doing? In Laos a school feeding program is an added incentive for over 89,000 children to attend school. The number of children, especially girls, staying in school to grade 5 has doubled in Australia-supported schools. The Australian Government has made education a flagship of the aid program.