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Post Info TOPIC: Champasak and Souphanouvong University are facing difficult times !!!
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Champasak and Souphanouvong University are facing difficult times !!!
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CAMPUS ZONE: SCHOOLS STRAPPED FOR CASH UNIVERSITIES IN LAOS NEED BUILDINGS, BOOKS, MONEY

Laotian students at Champasak University look very much like their Thai counterparts in Thai universities. They have similar faces, hair, eyes and skin. Men wear white shirts and black trousers, while women wear loose-fitting white shirts and full-length skirts called pha sin instead of the skin-tight shirts and short skirts favoured by co-eds in Thailand.


Photo: Co-eds dressed in students uniforms in Laos

At a glance, students from the two sister countries practically seem identical. But in terms of opportunity, they couldn’t be more different. While most Thai universities are flourishing, the two of the three public universities in Laos are struggling.

The oldest, National University of Laos in the capital Vientiane, however, is growing. It was founded in 1996, while Champasak University in Champasak opened in 2003 and Souphanouvong University in Luang Prabang opened in 2003.


National University of Laos, now a decade old, is firmly established. It has eight campuses, all in Vientiane.


It has co-operative ventures with 52 foreign universities, institutions and organisations, including seven universities in Thailand. The projects include training, exchanges of lecturers and students, joint research and postgraduate programmes.


National University has more than 22,000 students in 12 faculties, including 248 students from China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar. About 1,000 lecturers work at the university; 56 per cent have bachelor’s degrees, 16 per cent hold master’s degrees, three per cent have doctorates and the rest have higher diplomas and others.


The newly founded Champasak University and Souphanouvong University are facing difficult times. “At present, the Laotian government is giving funds to promote basic education, so there’s a limited budget for higher education,” said Sikhamtath Mitaray, a rector at Champasak University.


Champasak University is currently operating at Pakse Technical and Vocational School. It has a 1,900-hectare site to develop as its own campus, but lacks the necessary funds. To date, local authorities have built three dormitories, a guesthouse and a few classrooms.


“We received a loan of US$10 million (Bt411 million) from the Chinese government, but we need about US$80 million,” Sikhamtath said.

There are about 2,500 students enrolled at Champasak University. It has three faculties and plans to expand to eight faculties and increase the number of students to 12,000 by 2010.


The school was established to serve students from the southern provinces of Thailand, although Sikhamtath said the university now can’t serve more than 40 per cent of high school graduates from the southern provinces.


Champasak University has 77 fulltime and 20 part-time lecturers. Most are recent graduates from National University and have limited teaching experience. Only three faculty members have PhD degrees and only eight have master’s degrees.


The school’s financial needs are acute. In addition to buildings, Champasak University needs training for its staff, teaching materials in Laotian and textbooks in both Thai and English.


“We’re encountering all sorts of problems,” Sikhamtath says with a humble laugh.


Souphanouvong University is facing similar challenges, including a shortage of funds, personnel and instructional materials. It currently operates in a former high school that was built in the 1960s. The structure is very basic and has no laboratory facilities.


The university was founded to serve students from the north of Laos. It has a designated 126-hectare site, but no funds for development. It is hoping to get a US$27.5 million loan from the South Korea government.


Souphanouvong University has 1,210 students enrolled in three faculties. There are 46 lecturers. Only one has a doctorate. The others hold bachelor’s degrees, mostly from National University.


To donate funds to support higher education in Laos, contact the Bureau of International Co-operation Strategy, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Sri Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok 10400. Telephone queries can be made at (02) 354 5500-9 ext 741, 745.


Rojana Manowalailao

The Nation

CHAMPASAK, LAOS



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Anonymous

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It seems to me this article is not so new or doesn’t exist, because I have searched on the original sources "Nation" this article is not available and also in Vientianetimes could not find either. The reason why I looked at the original sources is that I was skeptical on why in the article stated: "The school was established to serve students from the southern provinces of Thailand,” It could be the case of typo error, it was supposed to write:” The school was established to serve students from the southern provinces of Laos". I don't think the editor, khoun Rojana Manowalailao, would have confused between them, since they are very far from each other. I really love to read "Nation News online", but I never have found such mistake, I believe they should have checked carefully before printing. Or else it could probably be the case someone, who posted this article, intended to make mistake for some purposes.
Talking about SouphanouvongUniversity, now the construction of building is underway, but in that article said: "It is hoping to get a US$27.5 million loan from the South Korea government". Also, recently the medicine faculty, separated from NationalUniversity, upgraded to be the forth university in Laos, which was not mentioned in that article. That meant this article is old news, although I never have seen it before, especially putting bank account. It seemed to me this journalist really wanted to help Lao education on the one hand. I would like to thank her very much if it was the case. But on the other hand, if the case that someone wanted to look down our country, I really then disappointed on such disgrace people. 
Regards,
TSP 
          



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samakomlao


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This article is published since May 2007 at the Nation Newspaper.
You can find the back up from this link

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-abFk_So.brIYLLzEmT4Gps0-?cq=1&p=79

;)

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Anonymous

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Thank you very much Mr. Webmaster for providing source of the article. No wonder I could not find it and never have seen it as it was in the blog format.

Regards,

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Anonymous

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Thank you TSP for doing some researches and let us know there were mistakes in this topic. Sure the people who posted this sort of thing could have other thought in their mind....perhaps this is the good way to point things out so they could not mislead the public or readers.
Be aware of bad intension whoever they are to damage LAO's reputation.

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Anonymous

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Sorry I should type bad intention not intension. mistake in typing.

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Anonymous

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Thank you Webmaster and TSP for make it clear aboat the source of this article
 these two Universities may have the difficulty, but they are the starter of our country developement. our younge students will have chance to develop themself, then bring it to develop our country.
you see that our country now has become more and more popular to other countries like tourism, singers,sport.... therefore it is clear that we are moving to the modern day by day.
 best regardbiggrin

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Anonymous

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I believe each student attending school or universities that student already learnt something, so even in difficult time but those universities still operate or run that's already a good sight when we hear they close down the university that's a sad new, but it did not happen so it is good sight.
Like a human being when a child comes to the world....the very first thing is crawling, then walk before he/she can run. The same LAO is not rich country, we must look at Lao's budget each year, and Lao's tax system is not great so we must understand Lao's government did not get much money from tax, that's why the country is poor so when you are lack of money, doing things is become difficult.



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Anonymous

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I absolutely agree with all above mentioned comments, which I regarded as really positive. I really hope one day these two universities would overcome all these problems. Nothing different with what happened to National University of Laos, the one is in Vientiane, when it firstly was established. I know it quite well because I work in this University. Now, the quality of its education is acknowledged by many countries. 

Regards,
   

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Thank you TSP for doing some researches and let us know there were mistakes in this topic. Sure the people who posted this sort of thing could have other thought in their mind....perhaps this is the good way to point things out so they could not mislead the public or readers.
Be aware of bad intension whoever they are to damage LAO's reputation.


Thank you to all, those who supported me in making information more accurate which is more important to all of us. I hope we can do it together when we have time. Yes, you are right. As I said earlier that after I have visited this website for sometimes, I feel that some information are good and unfortunately some are bad, bias, like Alexandra was banned in Lao TV program topic. The purpose of person posted the topic is to create a pretext for attacking Lao authority, Lao image. These kinds of bad things are lots as once one uncle from Austria has confirmed. Frankly speaking, when I see something is not true, I really cannot stop myself making it clear, as I am proud to be a Laotian. Apart from that, I feel that our Lao government has tried a lot to improve our people life. Yes, it’s true our country is still poor, but we are trying. Then, I don't want all these bad things, which are bias, be consumed by our Lao new generation in Laos and abroad as well. To be honest, after the day that the uncle from Australia (I believe he is Laotian in nature) gave me an advice, I feel that they live in oversea doesn't mean that they don't love our culture and Laos as well. They just seek for a better life. All of us hardly see how they help our economy, our people. Although they send their money to help their relative, that would help indirectly our economy in terms of foreign currency which our government really needs. Yes, of course they hold foreign citizen, they would not want to go back to live Laos, I emphasize, "NOW". But I hope one day when they become rich, they may want to come back to stay and do business in Laos, likewise the Chinese people did and do now. I remember someone mentioned in another topic, saying that he had been in Japan for 6 weeks, now he wants Lao transportation system to be like Japanese one. I think, nothing would be different with Lao people living in Australia, USA, France and the likes. They see civilization in those countries, one day they may think how to apply to our Lao society. And now is 21st century, the century of cooperation. Why would we misunderstand each other, after all, we are Laotian or just "LAO"?

Regards





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Anonymous

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I completely agree with you all.
the fisrt important thing we have now is the peace. Our country, although still poor, has a stable politics, economy, and peace. these are very important for all of us to develop our country. I strongly believe that our country will be a strong and beautiful country in the future.
best regard


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Anonymous

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Wait a minute!

I found one sentence in the essay, it said, school was established to serve 6 provinces in the south of Thailand, and need improvement on textbooks, and teaching materials in both Thai and English. What does this mean? Aren't the Chumpasak Univeristy and schools  built for southern Lao students or Thai students? Why should we need textbooks in Thai and English? Aren't they in both Lao and English?

Kinda weird here.. what was that idea come from? Lao people don't need to study Thai language, but English, Yes. We should study Lao textbooks in Lao and English, shoudn't we?



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Anonymous

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I agreed what you guys said above. We misunderstood each other, because we live in different places and we have diffeent point of view. Like old fashioned and up-to-date people. Laotions who live in oversea, doesn't mean that they betray Laos, because of wars, and difficulties in Laos previously. Of course, nobody abandons their mother land and enjoy their luxury lives in other countries. I have been to USA for 3 three years, All Lao people are homesick, and their lives don't make any different from living in Asia. They can't go back coz they hold U.S citenship and definately, they would think that Lao Gov still targets and hunts them. No one can't have a broader view and understand more if they still live in their own houses. They have to get their asses and see with their own eyes, that lives in oversea are difficult as hell. Lao people still think that foreigners have money, haaaa..i want to laugh my ass out.. There are a bunch of beggers in United States now. Anybody wants their countries to be cilvilized as U.S, Austria, Japan, S.Korea, and Singapore, and other countries, but developing the country is not like developing or building a house, it takes time of course and i believe Lao gov has been trying hard to improve the country, but corruption and low paid salary affect to personels performance and motivation. Lao gov should pay more attention to this issue and motivate and stimulate its employees to work harder and be more transparent and honest to themselves. I am sure that Laos will go faster than Thailand soon. Clear off corruptions and strengthen Law and regulations, that would help Lao people to live safer and more peaceful.

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Anonymous

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where are the money from Sepon Gold mining??furious


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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

 

where are the money from Sepon Gold mining??furious

 


Shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!! to ask this question....Do U really want to know where the hell $$$$ goes from Sepon Mining?
Well..... the answer 4 that is .... All $$$ goes to Samasik-puk's pocket.  and of course the corrupt leaders of communist party.  There U go.

 



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