Asia and the Pacific Education for All (EFA) Mid-Decade Assessment Mekong Sub-Region Synthesis Report Noonan, Richard Asia and the Pacific Education for All (EFA) Mid-Decade Assessment: Mekong Sub-Region Synthesis Report. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2008. xviii + 360 pp. 1. Educational system. 2. Early childhood education 3. Basic education. 4. Primary education. 5. Life skills. 6. Literacy. 7. Girls education. 8. Gender equality. 9. Education quality. 10. Cambodia. 11. Lao PDR. 12. Myanmar. 13. Thailand. 14. Viet Nam. 15. EFA assessment ISBN 978-92-9223-203-0 (Print version) ISBN 978-92-9223-204-7 (Electronic version) © UNESCO 2008 Published by UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110, Thailand Editor: Leotes Lugo Helin Design/Layout: Sirisak Chaiyasook Printed in Thailand The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. AIMS/08/OS/005-1000 Contents Acronyms. xii Acknowledgement. xv Preface . xvi Foreword . xvii PART I:BACKGROUND OF SUB-RegION AND OVERVIEW OF THEMATIC ISSUES 1 1. Introduction to the EFA MDA Mekong Sub-Regional Report. 2 1.1 Rationale for the EFA MDA Sub-Regional Reports. 2 1.2 Overview of the Report Structure and Content . 3 2. Overview of the Sub-Region. 4 2.1 Background of Sub-Region. 4 2.2 General Level of Development of the Mekong Sub-Region. 6 3. Educational Development in the Sub-Region. 8 3.1 Traditional Education in the Pre-Modern Context. 8 3.2 Education in the Colonial Period . .10 3.3 Modern Education . .15 4. Education Financing and Budget for the Mekong Sub-Region . .29 5. Identifying the “Un reached” Pop u la tion in the Sub-Region. .30 6. Cross-Cutting and Thematic Issues in the Sub-Region. .31 6.1 Ethnic and Religious Minorities . .32 6.2 Stateless Populations, Refugees, and Internally Displaced Persons . .33 6.3 Children of Migrants . 33 6.4 Child Labourers and Victims of Trafficking . .35 6.5 Gender Disparities . .37 6.6 Persons with Disabilities. .37 6.7 Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. .38 PART II:MEKONG SUB-REGIONALPROGRESS AND CHALLENGES 39 7. Introduction to the Data and the Maps. .40 8. Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education. 42 8.1 Background and Development of Goal One . 42 8.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators . .44 8.3 Analysis of Disparities in Goal One . .47 8.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. .49 8.5 Mekong Sub-Region Thematic Maps. 51 9. Goal Two: Universal Basic Education/Primary Education . .53 9.1 Background and Development of Goal Two . .53 9.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators . .56 9.3 Analysis of Disparities in Goal Two . .59 9.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. .61 9.5 Mekong Sub-Region Thematic Maps. 62 10. Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning . .64 10.1 Background and Development of Goal Three. 64 10.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators. .66 10.3 Analysis of Disparities in Goal Three. 68 10.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. 69 10.5 Mekong Sub-Region Thematic Maps. .70 11. Goal Four: Literacy. .71 11.1 Background and Development of Goal Four . 71 11.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators. .73 11.3 Analysis of Disparities in Goal Four . .74 11.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. 75 11.5 Mekong Sub-Region Thematic Maps. .76 12. Goal Five: Gender Parity and Equality in Education. 77 12.1 Background and Development of Goal Five. 77 12.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators. .79 12.3 Overall Progress and Best Practices for Achieving Goal Five. 83 12.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. 84 13. Goal Six: Quality of Education . 87 13.1 Background and Development of Goal Six . .87 13.2 Progress Achieved in Selected EFA MDA Core Indicators. .89 13.3 Analysis of Disparities in Goal Six. .91 13.4 Remaining Challenges and Issues in the Mekong Sub-Region. 93 13.5 Mekong Sub-Region Thematic Maps. .94 PART III:PROGRESS IN AcHIEVING THE EFA GOALS IN THE MEKONG SUB-RegION 97 14. Cambodia. .98 14.1 Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education in Cambodia. .98 14.2 Goal Two: Universal Basic Education in Cambodia. 103 14.3 Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning in Cambodia. 110 14.4 Goal Four: Literacy in Cambodia. 114 14.5 Goal Five: Gender Equality in Education in Cambodia . 118 14.6 Goal Six: Quality of Education in Cambodia. 123 14.7 Overall Conclusions and Policy Recommendations in Cambodia . 126 14.8 Cambodia Country Statistical Profile . 127 15. Lao PDR. 127 15.1 Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education in Lao PDR . 127 15.2 Goal Two: Universal Basic Education in Lao PDR . 132 15.3 Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning in Lao PDR . 140 15.4 Goal Four: Literacy in Lao PDR . 143 15.5 Goal Five: Gender Equality in Education in Lao PDR. 145 15.6 Goal Six: Quality of Education in Lao PDR . 148 15.7 Overall Conclusions and Policy Recommendations in Lao PDR. 151 15.8 Lao PDR Country Statistical Profile . 151 16. Myanmar . 152 16.1 Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education in Myanmar . 152 16.2 Goal Two: Universal Basic Education in Myanmar . 157 16.3 Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning in Myanmar. 164 16.4 Goal Four: Literacy in Myanmar . 169 16.5 Goal Five: Gender Equality in Education in Myanmar. 172 16.6 Goal Six: Quality of Education in Myanmar . 174 16.7 Overall Conclusions and Policy Recommendations in Myanmar. 176 16.8 Myanmar Country Statistical Profile . 177 17. Thailand. 177 17.1 Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education in Thailand. 177 17.2 Goal Two: Universal Basic Education in Thailand. 182 17.3 Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning in Thailand . 185 17.4 Goal Four: Literacy in Thailand . 188 17.5 Goal Five: Gender Equality in Education in Thailand. 190 17.6 Goal Six: Quality of Education in Thailand . 193 17.7 Overall Conclusions and Policy Recommendations in Thailand. 195 18. Viet Nam . 196 18.1 Goal One: Early Childhood Care and Education in Viet Nam. 196 18.2 Goal Two: Universal Basic Education in Viet Nam. 202 18.3 Goal Three: Life Skills and Lifelong Learning in Viet Nam. 215 18.4 Goal Four: Literacy in Viet Nam. 219 18.5 Goal Five: Gender Equality in Education in Viet Nam . 222 18.6 Goal Six: Quality of Education in Viet Nam. 224 18.7 Overall Conclusions and Policy Recommendations in Viet Nam . 227 18.8 Viet Nam Country Statistical Profile . 228 ANNEXES 229 Reader's Guide. 230 Annex 1: Statistical Tables. 231 Annex 2: Country Profiles . 241 Annex 3: References . 252 STATISTICAL NOTES 258 List of Boxes Box 1: Bilingual Education – Best Practices #1 (Thailand). .32 Box 2: Bilingual Education – Best Practices # 2 (Cambodia) . .33 Box 3: Education for Migrant Children – Best Practices and Remaining Challenges (Thailand) . .34 Box 4: Migrant Child Workers (Thailand). 35 Box 5: Child Workers (Cambodia) . .36 Box 6: Child Trafficking and Exploitation (Cambodia). 36 Box 7: Education Indicators and Concepts Used in this Report. 40 Box 8: Definitions of Stunting, Underweight, Wasting. .46 Box 9: Establishment of Schools which Meet FSQL National Standards, Viet Nam . 215 List of Maps Map 1: Mekong Sub-Region Map – GER in Pre-Primary Education, 2005/06. .51 Map 2: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Malnutrition Index, 1998-2005. 52 Map 3: Mekong Sub-Region Map – GER in Secondary Education, 2005/06 . .62 Map 4: Mekong Sub-Region Map – NER in Secondary Education, 2005/06 . .63 Map 5: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Enrolment in Secondary TVET (%), 2005/06. .70 Map 6: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Adult Literacy Rate, Latest Year. 76 Map 7: Mekong Sub-Region Map – GPI for Secondary GER, 2005/06. 85 Map 8: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Percent Female Teachers, Secondary, 2005/06 . 86 Map 9: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Pupil/Teacher Ratio, Primary, 2005/06. .94 Map 10: Mekong Sub-Region Map – Survival Rate to Grade 5, 2005/06 . .95 List of Tables Table 1: Human Development Index Rank in the Mekong Sub-Region, 2004 . 7 Table 2: Gini Index, 1992-97 and 2002-04, Sub-Region. ..