Throughout 2018, Child’s Dream piloted the Teacher Capacity Building Programme to promote student-centred learning in secondary schools in Luang Prabang and Xaignabouli Province.

At the conclusion of the pilot in February 2019, we conducted workshops in both areas to host sessions for discussions and summaries among teachers and students on lessons learned. The activities were led by Miss Hathairat Suda, our facilitator. The objectives were to exchange experiences, analyse the programme’s success factors, examine obstacles and problem solving. The sessions were also to receive feedback from teachers and students. Overall, there were more than 150 participants, including a number of teachers from the nearby Ngern District who were invited to observe the programme concept and achievements.

With the teachers, we reviewed all activities we had been supporting and asked for their suggestions to improve the programme. We asked students to share their experiences and their thoughts on student–centred learning as well as for suggestions towards their teachers in improving teaching techniques.

The students shared that their lessons had been more interesting because their teachers had featured engaging games and activities for the students to practise. This was very different to their traditional way of learning, where the attention in class had to be on the teacher. Students now ask more questions, practise, and especially, think critically by themselves. The rapport between teachers and students has improved significantly. The students urged the teachers to try include more activities and to be more friendly.

The feedback was good overall. The teacher observers from Ngern District were also interested in the programme and requested that Child’s Dream introduce this support at their schools as well next year.