The country has more than 8,800 primary schools with 31,000 teachers and more than 1,600 secondary schools where around 30,000 teachers taught.

According to the ministry, many teachers work in rural and remote schools but are disadvantaged by when it comes to being promoted and getting training. Moreover, some are also forced to stay in local residents’ houses or pay for rental accommodation out of their meagre salaries.

The quality of education in the country has seen significant disparity between urban and rural areas.

“The difficult living conditions for rural teachers affects the quality of teaching,” the proposal introduced by the ministry’s Department of Planning and Cooperation quoted.

The project will focus on teachers of pre-primary schools, primary and secondary schools in remote rural areas by improving the school environment, educational equipment, training for teachers and school directors, and improve teachers’ living conditions.

Students from poor families in the remote areas will also be targets of the project.

Phongsaly, Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Huaphan, Xieng Khuang, Luang Prabang, Saravan, Xekong, and Attapeu will be the targeted provinces for the pilot project this year, with the implementation to take place in two districts of each province.

A teacher dormitory of three bedrooms, a universal meeting room, kitchen and toilet will be built in the town of poor districts with Sam Sang (Three Builds) projects. The dormitories will also be built in villages as hubs allowing teachers to service more remote locations.

According to the ministry, many development partners such as UNICEF have announced their support for the project.