What should be done to help motivated students fulfil their potential?

Students who study hard and get the highest marks are deserving of support to encourage them to go even further, but it seems that neither schools nor the government are interested in offering incentives or rewards. Students who earn top grades still have problems finding a good job after they leave school. Vientiane Times asked for people’s thoughts on the importance of doing more to help those with talent and ambition. 

Ms Pan Panyavong, an employee from Champassak province: The government tries to support people with their education but the system is slow to change. Students still have to pay school fees, even at a government school, whether it’s in a town or a rural area. Students don’t usually get a reward if they get top marks in their school or class because the school says there isn’t enough money for that. But I think it’s very important to create a system that encourages students to work hard.

Ms King, a government official in Vientiane: It’s very important to help good students find a job after they leave school because if they can’t get a decent job it’s discouraging to other students. They will wonder what the point is of working hard to get good grades if there’s nothing to be gained. Many students can’t get jobs after they leave school, including those who get top grades. Students in rural areas often end up working alongside their parents on their farm. Unfortunately, this sends the message to parents that education is futile and does not improve their children’s prospects in life. So, in the future, more families will be reluctant to send their children to school.

Ms Bua, a business owner in Vientiane: It’s very important to support students throughout their education, as it’s the only way out of poverty. But the standard of education in Laos is very low compared to other countries. I would like to call on the government to pay more attention to this issue and spend more money to improve education. I read online that some top students who got red certificates couldn’t find jobs. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’m concerned that it’s true because I don’t think schools and the government do anything to help these students find good jobs. I think this needs to be addressed so that the success of top students is a good example for other students.

Ms La Phetsalath, a resident of Vientiane: I encourage my children by giving them something when they get good grades. But that doesn’t happen very often because we don’t have much money. But this is also the job of schools and teachers. They should give something special to students every month to encourage them to work hard. The gift should be something that helps with their education in some way. Some schools have such a programme but many others don’t.

Mr Saengphachan, a top student: I haven’t had any help in finding a job. I did everything by myself and luckily I found a job before I even got my red certificate. But I would urge all students to be more proactive and get as much experience as possible during their student days. I recommend working as volunteer to help out with a project, as this will be very helpful. If you only concentrate on school work that won’t help you much because the real world is very different and more difficult and you need a broader range of experiences.

By Lamphone Pasanthong
(Latest Update October 31, 2022)