Report summary
The Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) is Australia’s flagship education program in Laos, implemented from July 2022 to June 2026 with a total budget of AUD 33.3 million. Delivered in partnership with the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and implemented by Tetra Tech International Development, BEQUAL supports key national education reforms, including a revised primary curriculum, the national scale-up of the Spoken Lao Program, and building a system for continuing professional development for primary teachers.
In late 2024, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade commissioned an independent Mid-Term Review (MTR) to assess the program’s relevance, effectiveness, and progress toward outcomes. The MTR found that BEQUAL is a well-performing and highly relevant program making meaningful contributions to improved teaching practices and student learning outcomes. Two key recommendations from the MTR were to undertake a design extension beyond 2026 to ensure continuity and sustainability of reforms, and to articulate a clearer ambition and resourcing for gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) across the program.
The MTR’s findings and recommendations provide a critical pathway to inform the next phase of BEQUAL’s design, ensuring the program continues to adapt to the evolving education context and maintains its focus on inclusive, high-quality education for all children in Laos.
Full publication:
- BEQUAL Phase 2 Mid-Term Review Report [PDF 2.1 MB]
- BEQUAL Phase 2 Mid-Term Review Report [DOCX 9.46 MB]
- BEQUAL Phase 2 Mid-Term Review Report - Executive Summary [PDF 587 KB]
- BEQUAL Phase 2 Mid-Term Review Report - Executive Summary [DOCX 3.8 MB]
Management response
The Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (BEQUAL) Phase 2 found the program to be a valuable component of Australia’s development cooperation with Laos. BEQUAL supports national priorities in primary education by contributing to curriculum reform, teacher professional development, and additional Lao language support for primary students who start school unable to speak Lao. The program continues to strengthen Australia’s partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and reinforces Australia’s reputation as a trusted and committed education partner.
The review made practical recommendations to enhance program effectiveness and sustainability. The Australian Government agreed with most of the recommendations and confirmed its commitment to continuing support for BEQUAL, with improvements to be guided by the MTR findings. The Management Response outlines actions to be implemented from July 2025 to June 2028 (pending design extension approval), in collaboration with MoES, the BEQUAL team, the Technical Advisory Group, and the Australian Embassy’s Education Team.