Cooperation in education, training spotlights Vietnam-Laos relations: Minister

He made the statement at a meeting in Hanoi on May 11 with Lao Minister of Education and Sports Phouth Simmalavong who is in Vietnam, together with the Laos sports delegation to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31).

The two countries are expected to sign a protocol in September which refers to close coordination between the two sides on compiling textbooks, learning materials, management of overseas students, and activities of the pre-university colleges, Son said.

At the meeting, the Lao minister expressed his deep gratitude towards the Vietnamese Government for cooperation and support in the field of education, especially human resource training for the country.

Simmalavong said he hoped that the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training will provide the Vietnamese-Lao and Lao-Vietnamese dictionary software to assist the country in the building of a Lao dictionary.

The Vietnamese minister said that the software will be transferred to the Lao side in the next few days.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries.

A series of activities will be held on these occasions including the organisation of a Vietnam education exhibition in Laos scheduled for September and an elocution contest in Vietnamese for Lao students who are studying in Vietnam. The two ministers agreed to work closely to prepare for the events.